Travel Log: Victorias City
Home of the finest, whitest, untouched-by-human-hands sugar in the world.
Victorias City, is a 5th class city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. The town is notable for being the site of Victorias Milling Company, the Philippine's largest sugar refinery and sitting on a 7,000 hectare compound is the world's largest integrated sugar mill.
The town of Victorias was originally located in what is now known as Daan Banwa (Old Town), a fishing village beside Malihaw River and near its outlet to the sea.
During the Spanish era, the town was called Malihaw, a name taken from Malihaw trees which grew in abundance along the riverbanks. It was ruled by Capitan Gregorio Conlu, and Moro pirates and Tulisanes reigned unmolested.
GETTING THERE…
Victorias City is located 34 kilometers north of Bacolod City, capital of the Province of Negros Occidental. Victorias City can be reached within 45 minutes by private or public utility vehicles. It is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Manapla, on the south by the Municipality of EB Magalona, on the west by Guimaras Strait and on the east by Mount Marapara.
WHAT TO DO…
KADALAG-AN FESTIVAL – the city celebrates its Charter Anniversary with Kadalag-an Festival – a dance drama as old as the city, conceptualized during the 1st charter anniversary. It is an emerging festival that showcases street dancers in colorful costumes. It is a week-long celebration that ends on March 21. Truly, Kadalag-an is the right word to crown the perseverance, hard work, cooperation and victory of Victoriahanons in facing the challenges of life. It symbolizes the many victories achieved by the people against adversities in life.
MALIHAW FESTIVAL – another term for their festival is Feast of Our Lady of Victory (the city's Patroness) with a fluvial parade of images of the Patroness along the shoreline of the City as one of the highlights. This festivity ends April 26.
WHAT TO EAT…
Victorias Milling Company, Inc. manufactures raw and refined sugar in the Philippines. It offers cane sugar and by-products, including molasses to sugar traders, sugar centrals, and distributors primarily in the provinces of Negros Occidental, Iloilo, and Metro Manila.
The company, through its subsidiaries, also engages in fish canning with its product mix comprising canned sardines, bangus, mackerel, luncheon meat, lechon paksiw, ham, and bacon.
WHAT TO SEE…
. . . home to the biggest integrated raw and refined sugar manufacturer in the country . . .
Visit the renowned Victorias Milling Company, established in 1919, and smell sweet success. The company has grown and expanded into a huge agro-industrial complex employing thousands of people in numerous diversified projects like foundry, machine shop, fiber glass plant, swine farm, and processed, frozen and canned foods.
See for yourself the world-famous “Angry Christ” mural painted in bold primary colors inside the St. Joseph the worker Church locate the Victorias Milling Company compound.
VMC Golf and Country Club – an 18 hole golf course with lighted driving range, classified as PAR 71, graces the landscape of Victorias City also found within the Victorias Milling Company compound.
Other Attractions:
Steam Locomotive Engine – the “Iron Dinosaur' of VMC is an antique steam locomotive manufactured by Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, U.S.A
Public Plaza – surrounded by different horticultural plants, flowers and trees, the public plaza is considered as one of the tourist attractions in the city and is reputed to be one of the most beautiful parks in Negros. Among its attractions is a small lagoon with man-made waterfalls.
Carabao Sundial – it was built in December 1975 by Shalom IV '76, a group of senior students from Don Bosco Technical Institute (Victorias) with the assistance of the management of the Victorias Milling Company, Inc.
Gawahon Eco-tourism Development Project has seven natural waterfalls perfect for nature lovers and trekkers to explore.
For more information, please check out http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph; http://www.victoriascity.gov.ph; or www.tattooartists.org.
