View source for Bacolod

{{Short description|Highly-urbanized city and capital of Negros Occidental, Philippines}}
{{About|the city in Visayas|the municipality of the same name in Mindanao|Bacolod, Lanao del Norte|other uses|Bacolod (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|Bacolod-Kalawi|Bacolor|Bacood|Macolod}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = {{PH wikidata|name}}
| official_name           = {{PH wikidata|official_name}} <!-- only one language on official seal -->
| settlement_type         = {{PH wikidata|settlement_type}}
<!-- images and maps  -------------------->
| image_skyline           = {{multiple image
  | border      = infobox
  | total_width = 250
  | image_style = border
  | perrow      = 1/2/2/1
  | image1      = Bacolod_city_northern_skyline.jpg
  | image2      = San Sebastian Cathedral Bacolod (Rizal Street, Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 10-31-2022).jpg
  | image3      = Bacolod Public Plaza Gazebo 2023-08-05.jpg
  | image6      = Bacolod New Government Center 2023-08-06.jpg
  | image7      = 
Bacolod downtown, Lacson Street, capitol area (Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 11-01-2022).jpg
  | image8      = Bacolod Lagoon panorama 2023-08-05.jpg
                              }}
| image_caption           = From top, left to right: Bacolod central skyline; [[San Sebastian Cathedral (Bacolod)|San Sebastian Cathedral]], [[Bacolod Public Plaza]], Bacolod City Government Center, Lacson Street, [[Capitol Park and Lagoon]]
| image_flag              = New Bacolod Flag.jpg
| flag_size               = 120x80px
| image_seal              = Official Seal of Bacolod City 2022.png
| seal_size               = 150x80px
| nickname                = "The City of Smiles"<ref name="PIAGovPH-Milestones">{{cite news |last1=Guadalquiver |first1=Nanette |title=Bacolod City celebrates milestones, triumphs in 2018 |url=http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1056949 |access-date=April 19, 2019 |work=Philippine News Agency|date=December 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419150049/https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1056949 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="PanayNews-WhenIs">{{cite news |last1=Lasafin |first1=Daryl |last2=Amio |first2=Jonel |title=When was Bacolod City born, really? |url=https://www.panaynews.net/when-was-bacolod-city-born-really/ |access-date=April 19, 2019 |work=Panay News |date=October 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028081339/https://www.panaynews.net/when-was-bacolod-city-born-really/ |archive-date=October 28, 2018}}</ref>
| image_map               = {{PH wikidata|image_map}}
| map_caption             = Map of Negros Occidental with Bacolod highlighted
| image_map1              = {{hidden begin|title=OpenStreetMap|ta1=center}}{{Infobox mapframe
|frame-width=250}}{{hidden end}}
| pushpin_map             = Philippines
| pushpin_label           = Bacolod City
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location within the {{PH wikidata|country}}
<!-- Location --------------------------->
| coordinates             = {{coord|region:PH|format=dms|display=it}}
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = {{PH wikidata|country}}
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of the Philippines|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = {{PH wikidata|region}}
| subdivision_type2       = [[Provinces of the Philippines|Province]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Negros Occidental]] {{small|(geographically only)}}
| subdivision_type3       = [[House of Representatives of the Philippines#District representation|District]]
| subdivision_name3       = {{PH legislative district}}
| established_title       = [[Date of establishment|Founded]]
| established_date        = 1755 or 1756 (town)
| established_title1      = Cityhood
| established_date1       = June 18, 1938 {{small|(de jure)}} <br /> October 19, 1938 {{small|(de facto)}}
| established_title2      = Highly urbanized city
| established_date2       = September 27, 1984
| parts_type              = [[Barangay]]s
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = {{PH barangay count | {{wikidata|label|raw}} }}  (see [[#Barangays|Barangays]])
| government_footnotes    = {{thinsp}}<ref>{{DILG detail}}</ref>
<!-- Politics -------------------------->
| leader_title            = [[Mayor of Bacolod|Mayor]]
| leader_name             = [[Greg Gasataya|Greg G. Gasataya]]
| leader_title1           = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name1            = Claudio Jesus Raymundo A. Puentevella ([[Nationalist People's Coalition|NPC]])
| leader_title2           = [[Legislative district of Bacolod City|Representative]]
| leader_name2            = [[Albee Benitez|Albee B. Benitez]] ([[Independent politician|Ind]])
| leader_title3           = [[Sangguniang Panlungsod|City Council]]
| leader_name3            = {{PH Town Council
 | 1=Caesar Z. Distrito
 | 2=Israel P. Salanga
 | 3=Em L. Ang
 | 4=Jude Thaddeus A. Sayson
 | 5=Jason Isidro S. Villarosa
 | 6=Celia Matea R. Flor
 | 7=Dindo C. Ramos
 | 8=Roberto Antonio M. Rojas, Sr.
 | 9=Wilson C. Gamboa, Jr.
 | 10=Psyche Marie E. Sy
 | 11=Homer Q. Bais
 | 12=Al Victor A. Espino
 | abc=Lady Gles G. Pallen
 | sk=Danna Marie C. Barzo
}}
| leader_title4           = [[Elections in the Philippines#Qualification|Electorate]]
| leader_name4            = {{PH wikidata|electorate}} voters ([[Philippine general election, {{PH wikidata|electorate_point_in_time}}|{{PH wikidata|electorate_point_in_time}}]])
<!-- Area / Population --------------->
| total_type              = City
| area_footnotes          = {{PH area}}
| area_total_km2          = {{PH wikidata|area}}
| area_metro_km2          = 2265.30 <!-- total of Bacolod + Bago + Enrique B. Magalona + Murcia + La Carlota + Pulupandan + San Enrique + Silay + Talisay + Valladolid + Victorias -->
| elevation_footnotes     = {{PH wikidata|elevation_footnotes}}<ref>{{cite news | title = NATURAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS | url = http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/profilea2.htm | access-date = June 19, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101013070120/http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/profilea2.htm | archive-date = October 13, 2010 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
| elevation_m             = {{PH wikidata|elevation_m}}
| elevation_max_m         = 1461
| elevation_min_m         = 0
| population_footnotes    = {{PH wikidata|population_reference}}
| population_total        = {{PH wikidata|population_total}}
| population_as_of        = {{PH wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_metro        = 1435593 <!-- total of Bacolod + Bago + Enrique B. Magalona + Murcia + La Carlota + Pulupandan + San Enrique + Silay + Talisay + Valladolid + Victorias 2020 census amounts -->
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_blank1_title = [[Household]]s
| population_blank1       = {{PH wikidata|household}}
| population_demonyms     = [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon (Ilonggo)]]: Bacolodnon <br />[[Philippine English|English]]: Bacolodian <br />[[Philippine Spanish|Spanish]]: Bacoleño (masculine)/Bacoleña (feminine)
<!-- General information --------------->
| timezone                = [[Philippine Standard Time|PST]]
| utc_offset              = +8
| postal_code_type        = [[List of ZIP codes in the Philippines|ZIP code]]
| postal_code             = {{PH wikidata|postal_code}}
| postal2_code_type       = {{PSGCstyle}}
| postal2_code            = {{PSGC detail}}
| area_code_type          = {{areacodestyle}}
| area_code               = {{PH wikidata|area_code}}
| demographics_type1      = Economy
| demographics1_title1    = [[Gross domestic product]] (GDP)
| demographics1_info1     = ₱120,933 billion (2021)<ref name="gdpbacolod2021">{{Cite web | title = All Economies in Western Visayas Rebound in 2021; Negros Occidental Leads Growth | url                      = https://psa.gov.ph/ppa/id/168528 | access-date = 2023-01-18 | website = [[Philippine Statistics Authority]]}}</ref><br>
$2,400 billion (2021)<ref name="imfdec2021phptousd">{{Cite web | title = PH₱50.384 per dollar (per International Monetary Fund on Representative Exchange Rates for Selected Currencies for December 2021) | url = https://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/rms_mth.aspx?SelectDate=2021-12-31&reportType=REP | access-date = 2023-01-18 | website = [[IMF]]}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2    = {{PH wikidata|income_class_title}}
| demographics1_info2     = {{PH wikidata|income_class}}
| demographics1_title3    = [[Measuring poverty|Poverty incidence]]
| demographics1_info3     = {{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence}}% ({{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence_point_in_time}}){{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence_footnotes}}
| demographics1_title4    = [[Revenue]]
| demographics1_info4     = {{PH wikidata|revenue}} {{PH wikidata|revenue_point_in_time}}
| demographics1_title5    = Revenue rank
| demographics1_info5     = 
| demographics1_title6    = [[Assets]]
| demographics1_info6     = {{PH wikidata|assets}} {{PH wikidata|assets_point_in_time}}
| demographics1_title7    = [[Internal Revenue Allotment|IRA]]
| demographics1_info7     = 
| demographics1_title8    = [[Expenditure]]
| demographics1_info8     = {{PH wikidata|expenditure}} {{PH wikidata|expenditure_point_in_time}}
| demographics1_title9    = 
| demographics1_info9     = 
| demographics1_title10   = [[Liability (financial accounting)|Liabilities]]
| demographics1_info10    = {{PH wikidata|liabilities}} {{PH wikidata|liabilities_point_in_time}}
| demographics_type2      = Service provider
| demographics2_title1    = [[List of electric distribution utilities in the Philippines|Electricity]]
| demographics2_info1     = {{PH electricity distribution| {{wikidata|label|raw}} }}
| blank_name_sec1         = {{PH wikidata|climate_title}}
| blank_info_sec1         = {{PH wikidata|climate_type}}
| blank_name_sec2         = [[Languages of the Philippines|Languages]]
| blank_info_sec2         = [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]]<br>[[Filipino language|Filipino]]<br>[[Philippine English|English]]
| website                 = {{URL|https://bacolodcity.gov.ph/}}
}}
 <!-- Infobox ends -->
'''Bacolod''', officially the '''City of Bacolod''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ɑ:|ˈ|k|ɔː|l|ə|d}}; {{IPA|tl|bɐˈkɔlɔd|lang}}; {{langx|hil|Dakbanwa sang Bacolod}}; {{langx|fil|Lungsod ng Bacolod}}), is a  [[Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification|highly urbanized city]] in the [[Negros Island Region]] in the [[Philippines]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Highly-urbanized Cities |url=http://www.cityblogs.nfo.ph/highly-urbanized-cities/ |access-date=June 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315022849/http://www.cityblogs.nfo.ph/highly-urbanized-cities/ |archive-date=March 15, 2010 }}</ref> According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 624,787 people,<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority|title=2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President|access-date=18 July 2025|date=17 July 2025|url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/2024-census-population-popcen-population-counts-declared-official-president}}</ref> making it the most populous city in the Negros Island Region and the second most populous city in the entire [[Visayas]] after [[Cebu City]].{{PH census|current|NIR}}

It is the largest city and capital of the [[Provinces of the Philippines|province]] of [[Negros Occidental]] wherein it is geographically situated and grouped under the province by the [[Philippine Statistics Authority]], but governed administratively independent. It is one of the two regional centers of Negros Island Region, with the other being [[Dumaguete]]. It is also the center of the [[Metro Bacolod|Bacolod metropolitan area]], which includes the cities of [[Silay]] and [[Talisay, Negros Occidental|Talisay]].

It is notable for its [[MassKara Festival]] held during the third week of October and is known for bearing the nickname "The City of Smiles". The city is also famous for its local delicacies [[Piaya (food)|piaya]], [[cansi]], [[Mille-feuille#Philippines|napoleones]], and [[chicken inasal]].<ref name="Piaya">{{cite web | url = http://www.choosephilippines.com/eat/local-flavors/490/piaya/ | title = Piaya &ndash; A Sweet Negrense Delicacy | date = July 30, 2013 | access-date = May 10, 2017 | archive-date = May 2, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170502074323/http://www.choosephilippines.com/eat/local-flavors/490/piaya | url-status = usurped }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bacolodchickenbbq.com/|title=Bacolod Chk-n-BBQ|website=Bacolod Chk-n-BBQ}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= https://centralebacolod.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/bacolod-citys-chicken-inasal-recipe-and-videos/ | title = Bacolod City's Chicken Inasal – Recipe and Videos | date= March 16, 2013 | access-date=May 10, 2017}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Bacólod'' ({{langx|en|Bacolod}}), is derived from ''[[Filipino orthography#Adoption of the Latin script|bakólod]]'' ([[Filipino orthography#Adoption of the Latin script|Old Spelling]]: ''bacólod''), the [[Hiligaynon language|Old Hiligaynon (Old Ilonggo)]] ([[Filipino orthography#Adoption of the Latin script|Old Spelling]]: ''Ylongo and Ilongo'') word for a "hill, turtle, mound, rise, hillock, down, any small eminence or elevation",<ref>{{cite web | title =VISAYAN-ENGLISH DICTIONARY (KAPULÚNGAN BINISAYÁ-ININGLÍS) | url=http://www.gutenberg.ph/previews/kaufmann/KVED-Body.pdf | access-date = June 15, 2010}}</ref> since the resettlement was founded on a stony, hilly area, now the [[barangay]] of Granada.<ref>{{cite web| title= The Official Website of Bacolod City| url= http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/bacolod_city.htm| access-date= May 3, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100427021151/http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/bacolod_city.htm| archive-date= April 27, 2010| url-status= dead}}</ref> It was officially called ''Ciudad de Bacólod'' (City of Bacolod) when ''Municipalidad de Bacólod'' (Municipality of Bacolod) was converted into a city in 1938.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2022}}
[[File:Capitol Lagoon Bacolod City Philippines.jpg|left|thumb|A view of the [[Capitol Park and Lagoon]] looking towards the [[Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol]] building]]

===Spanish colonial period===
Historical church accounts provide a glimpse of the early years of Bacolod as a mere small [[Human settlement|settlement]] by the riverbank known as ''Magsungay'' (translated as "horn-shaped" in English). When the neighboring settlement of [[Bago, Negros Occidental|Bago]] was elevated into the status of a small town in 1575,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ilongo.weebly.com/iloilo-history-part-1.html |title=Iloilo History Part 1 - Research Center for Iloilo |access-date=June 29, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201139/http://ilongo.weebly.com/iloilo-history-part-1.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 }}</ref> it had several religious dependencies and one of which was the village of Magsungay. The early missionaries placed the village under the care and protection of [[Saint Sebastian]] sometime in the middle of the 18th century. A ''corregidor'' ({{langx|en|[[magistrate]]}}) by the name of Luis Fernando de Luna, donated a relic of the saint for the growing [[Catholic missions|mission]], and since then, the village came to be known as ''San Sebastián de Magsung̃ay''.<ref name="ep">{{cite web|title=BACOLOD, The City of Smiles |url=http://www.experiencephilippines.ph/LM/news/id-1207204337611.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802073041/http://www.experiencephilippines.ph/LM/news/id-1207204337611.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 2, 2009 |access-date=May 3, 2010 }}</ref>

Bacolod was not established as a town until 1755 or 1756, after the inhabitants of the coastal settlement of ''San Sebastián de Magsung̃ay'', were attacked by [[Moro people|forces]] under [[Datu]] [[List of sultans of Sulu|Bantílan]] of [[Sulu Province|Sulu]] on July 14, 1755, and the villagers transferred from the coast to a hilly area called ''Bacólod'' (which is now the barangay of Granada). Bernardino de los Santos became the first ''[[gobernadorcillo]]'' ({{langx|en|municipal judge or governor}}). The town of Bacolod was constituted as a ''parroquia'' ({{langx|en|[[parish]]}}) in 1788 under the [[secular clergy]], but did not have a resident [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priest]] until 1802, as the town was served by the priest from [[Bago, Negros Occidental|Bago]], and later [[Binalbagan, Negros Occidental|Binalbagan]]. By 1790, slave raids on Bacolod by [[Moro people|Moro]] [[Piracy|pirates]] had ceased.<ref name="admu2">{{cite web|title=Negros, the Island that Sugar Built |url=http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/negros.html |access-date=May 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811023259/http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/negros.html |archive-date=August 11, 2010 }}</ref>

[[File:Allan Jay Quesada - San Sebastian Church - Bacolod 001.jpg|thumb|left|[[San Sebastian Cathedral]] at night]]
On February 11, 1802, Fr. Eusebio Laurencio became acting parish priest of Bacolod. In September 1806, Fr. León Pedro was appointed interim parish priest and the following year became the first regular parish priest.<ref name="admu">{{cite web|title=Bacolod City Tour |url=http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/r6_bacolodtour.html |access-date=May 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701033742/http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/r6_bacolodtour.html |archive-date=July 1, 2010 }}</ref> In September 1817, ''Fray'' ({{langx|en|[[Friar]]}}) Julián Gonzaga from [[Barcelona]] was appointed as the parish priest. He encouraged the people to settle once again near the sea. He also encouraged migration to Bacolod and the opening of lands to agriculture and industry.<ref name="admu"/>

In 1846, upon the request of Romualdo Jimeno, [[bishop]] of [[Cebu]] and [[Negros (Philippines)|Negros]] at that time, [[Governor-General of the Philippines|Governor-General]] [[Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa]] sent to Negros a team of [[Order of Augustinian Recollects|Recollect]] missionaries headed by priest Fernando Cuenca.<ref name="ep"/> A decree of June 20, 1848, by ''Gobernador General'' Clavería ordered the restructuring of Negros politically and religiously. The following year (1849), [[Negros Island]] ''Gobernadorcillo'' Manuel Valdevieso y Morquecho transferred the capital of the [[Negros (province)|Province of Negros]] from [[Himamaylan]] to Bacolod and the [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] Recollects were asked to assume spiritual administration of Negros, which they did that same year. Transfer of Bacolod to the Recollects, however, took place only in 1871.<ref name="admu2"/> ''Fray'' Mauricio Ferrero became the first Augustinian Recollect parish priest of Bacolod and successor to the [[Secular clergy|secular priest]], Fr. Mariano Ávila.<ref name="admu"/> In 1863, a compulsory primary public school system was set up.<ref>{{cite web|title=Historical Perspective of the Philippine Educational System |url=http://www.deped.gov.ph/about_deped/history.asp |access-date=July 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722150827/http://www.deped.gov.ph/about_deped/history.asp |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Education | url=http://countrystudies.us/philippines/53.htm | access-date = July 7, 2010}}</ref>

In 1889, Bacolod became the capital of ''Occidental Negros'' when the province of Negros was politically divided into the separate provinces of ''Occidental Negros'' ([[Philippine Spanish|Spanish]]: ''Negros Occidental'') and ''Oriental Negros'' ([[Philippine Spanish|Spanish]]: ''[[Negros Oriental]]'').

===Revolution and Republic of Negros===
{{main|Negros Revolution|Republic of Negros}}
[[File:Fountain of Justice Bacolod City Philippines.jpg|thumb|[[Fountain of Justice]] and the Bacolod Old City Hall, the site where the Spanish authorities surrender Bacolod to the forces of General [[Aniceto Lacson]] which took place on November 6, 1898, during the Negros Revolution.]]
[[File:Negros Revolution surrender document.jpg|right|thumb|Last page of the ''Acta de Capitulación'' ({{langx|en|[[Surrender (military)|Surrender Document]]}}).]]
The success of the uprising in Bacolod and environs was attributed to the low morale of the local imperial Spanish detachment, due to its defeat in [[Panay]] and [[Luzon]] and to the psychological warfare waged by Generals [[Aniceto Lacson]] and [[Juan Araneta]]. In 1897, a battle in Bacolod was fought at Matab-ang River. A year later, on November 5, 1898, the ''Negrense Revolucionarios'' ({{langx|en|Negrense Revolutionary Army}}), armed with knives, [[Bolo knife|bolos]], spears, and rifle-like [[Nypa fruticans|nipa palm]] stems, and pieces of ''[[sawali]]'' or ''amakan'' mounted on carts, captured the convent, presently ''Palacio Episcopal'' ({{langx|en|Bishop's Palace}}), where Colonel Isidro de Castro y Cisneros, well-armed ''cazadores'' ({{langx|en|hunters}}) and [[platoon]]s of ''Guardias Civiles'' ({{langx|en|[[Civil Guard (Spain)#Peacekeepers|Civil Guards]]}}), surrendered.

On November 7, 1898, most of the revolutionary army gathered together to establish a provisional junta and to confirm the elections of [[Aniceto Lacson]] as president, [[Juan Araneta]] as war-delegate, as well as the other officials. For a brief moment, the provinces of ''Occidental Negros'' and ''Oriental Negros'' were reunited under the cantonal government of the ''Negrense Revolucionarios'', from November 6, 1898, to the end of February 1899, making Bacolod the capital. In March 1899, the [[United States armed forces|American forces]] led by [[Colonel]] James G. Smith occupied Bacolod, the revolutionary capital of ''República Cantonal de Negros'' ({{langx|en|Cantonal Republic of Negros}}). They occupied Bacolod after the invitation of the [[Republic of Negros]] which sought protectorate status for their nation under the United States.

===American colonial period===
[[File:Plaza During Bicycle Races 1901 Bacolod, Western Negros.jpg|left|thumb|[[Bacolod Public Plaza]] during bicycle (''[[kalesa]]'') races in 1901]]
[[File:Daku03.JPG|thumb|left|Ancestral home of then Don Generoso Villanueva, also known as the ''[[Daku Balay]]'']]
[[File:Landing Fields - Philippines - Negros Island - NARA - 68161316.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Bacolod, 1937]]
[[File:MarianoRamosHouse.jpg|thumb|Home of then ''Don'' [[Mariano Ramos Ancestral House|Mariano Ramos]]]]

The Cantonal Republic of Negros became a [[United States territory#History of United States territory|U.S. territory]] on April 30, 1901. This separated Negros Island once again, reverting Bacolod to its status as the capital of ''Occidental Negros''.

The public school of ''Instituto Rizal'' ({{langx|en|[[Negros Occidental High School|Rizal Institute]]}}) opened its doors to students on July 1, 1902.<ref>{{cite web | title =The Negros Occidental High School History |url=http://www.freewebs.com/star96/thenohshistory.htm | access-date = June 14, 2010}}</ref> ''Colegio de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación'' ({{langx|en|[[La Consolacion College – Bacolod|College of Our Lady of Consolation]]}}), the first private institution in the province of Negros Occidental, was established in Bacolod by the [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] [[Augustinian nuns#Sisters but not "nuns"|sisters]] on March 11, 1919, and opened in July 1919.<ref>{{cite news|work=SunStar|title=LCC holds alumni night |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/lcc-holds-alumni-night |access-date=June 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322072211/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/lcc-holds-alumni-night |archive-date=March 22, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Early History of La Consolacion College Bacolod |url=http://lccians.ning.com/forum/topics/2287525:Topic:1126 |access-date=June 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209153859/http://lccians.ning.com/forum/topics/2287525%3ATopic%3A1126 |archive-date=December 9, 2009 }}</ref> Soon, Bacolod welcomed a large number of immigrants from Spain, mainly [[Basques]] and [[Catalans]], who became plantation owners.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://filipinokastila.tripod.com/business.html | title=Influence of Spanish owned Business on the Philippines | date=2024 | publisher=filipinokastilatripod.com}}</ref>

A historic event took place in 1938 when [[Municipalities of the Philippines|Municipality]] of Bacolod was elevated into a city through [[List of Philippine laws|Commonwealth Act]] No. 326 passed by the [[1st National Assembly of the Philippines]] creating the City of Bacolod.<ref>{{cite web | title =Commonwealth Act No. 326 | url=http://www.chanrobles.com/commonwealthacts/commonwealthactno326.html | access-date = June 14, 2010}}</ref> Assemblyman Pedro C. Hernáez of the [[Legislative districts of Negros Occidental#2nd District|second district]] of Negros Occidental sponsored the bill. The law was passed on June 18, 1938. Bacolod was formally inaugurated as a [[Charter city|chartered city]] on October 19, 1938, by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 404,<ref>{{cite web|title=Commonwealth Act No. 404 |url=http://www.chanrobles.com/commonwealthacts/commonwealthactno404.html |access-date=June 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611084924/http://www.chanrobles.com/commonwealthacts/commonwealthactno404.html |archive-date=June 11, 2011 }}</ref>  highlighted by the visit of [[Commonwealth of the Philippines|Commonwealth]] [[President of the Philippines|President]] [[Manuel L. Quezon]]. President Quezon appointed [[Alfredo Montelibano, Sr.|Alfredo Montelíbano, Sr.]] as the first city mayor of Bacolod.<ref>{{cite web | title =BARANGAY ALANGILAN KALAPARAN THEN AND NOW | url =http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/aln.htm | access-date =June 14, 2010 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150924015758/http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/aln.htm | archive-date =September 24, 2015 | url-status =dead }}</ref>

===Japanese occupation and allied liberation===
In [[Japanese occupation of the Philippines|World War II]], Bacolod was occupied by the [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese forces]] on May 21, 1942.<ref>{{cite book |last1=National Historical Institute (Philippines) |last2=Philippine National Historical Society |title=History from the People: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Guimaras |date=1999 |publisher=National Historical Institute and Philippine National Historical Society |isbn=9789715381345 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCFwAAAAMAAJ |access-date=October 15, 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="SymbolsOfTheState">{{cite book |last1=Philippines Bureau of Local Government |title=Symbols of the State: Republic of the Philippines |date=1975 |publisher=Bureau of Local Government, Department of Local Government and Community Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N6MbAQAAMAAJ |access-date=October 15, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Lieutenant General Kawano "Kono" Takeshi, the Japanese [[Organization of Japanese forces in Southeast Asia#Organization of Japanese forces in Philippines|commanding officer]] of the 77th Infantry Brigade, 102nd Division, seized the homes of [[Don (honorific)|Don]] Generoso Villanueva, a prominent sugar planter—whose home, the [[Daku Balay]] served as the "seat of power" (occupational headquarters for the Japanese Forces in Negros and all of the Central Visayan region of the Philippines) and being the tallest building of Bacolod it served as the city's watchtower—and the home of his brother-in-law, Don Mariano Ramos, the first appointed [[Mayor#Philippines|Municipal President]] of Bacolod. The home of Don Generoso was lived in by Lt. General Takeshi throughout the duration of the war and also served as his office and the home of Don Mariano was occupied by a Japanese Colonel serving under the command of Lt. General Takeshi. The city was liberated by joint [[Armed Forces of the Philippines|Philippine]] and American forces on May 29, 1945. It took time to rebuild the city after liberation. However, upon the orders of Lt. General Takeshi, both the homes of Villanueva and Ramos were saved from destruction by the retreating Japanese forces.

In March 1945, upon the invasion of the American and Philippine Commonwealth forces, the withdrawal of the Japanese army into the mountains and the temporary occupation of Bacolod by the combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth armed forces, the house of Villanueva was then occupied by Major General Rapp Brush,<ref name="SymbolsOfTheState" /> commander of the 40th Infantry Division, known as the "Sun Burst" Division, for approximately five months. The local Philippine military built and established the general headquarters and camp bases of the [[Philippine Commonwealth Army]] which was active from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946. The 7th Constabulary Regiment of the [[Philippine Constabulary]] was also active from October 28, 1944, to June 30, 1946, and was stationed in Bacolod during and after World War II.

===Independent Philippines===
[[File:Ph-bc-flag.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Old flag of Bacolod]]
When the country finally gained [[Republic Day (Philippines)|independence]] from the United States, the city's public markets and slaughterhouses were rebuilt during the administration of then Mayor Vicente Remitió from 1947 to 1949. In 1948, a fire razed a portion of the records section of the old city hall that consumed the rear end of the building and with it, numerous priceless documents of the city.<ref>{{cite web | title =THE BACOLOD CITY HALL STORY | url =http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/cityhallstory.htm | access-date =June 14, 2010 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110408141508/http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/cityhallstory.htm | archive-date =April 8, 2011 | url-status =dead }}</ref>

Bacolod was classified as a highly urbanized city on September 27, 1984, by the provision of Section 166 and 168 of
the Local Government Code and the DILG Memo Circular No. 83-49.

In January 1985, the original hardwood and coral structure of ''Palacio Episcopal'' was almost entirely destroyed by a fire. Among the damage of the raging fire were items of significant historical value. The reconstruction of ''Palacio'' which took more than two years, was completed in 1990.<ref>{{cite web | title =Philippines / West Visayas / Negros / Bacolod City / Attractions | url =http://www.cockatoo.com/philippines/e-15wevi/ep-wev10_g8.htm | access-date =June 14, 2010 | archive-date =July 22, 2012 | archive-url =https://archive.today/20120722233346/http://www.cockatoo.com/philippines/e-15wevi/ep-wev10_g8.htm | url-status =dead }}</ref>

In 2008, Bacolod topped a survey by ''[[MoneySense (Philippines)|MoneySense Magazine]]'' as the "Best Place to Live in the Philippines".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://moneysense.com.ph/editors-note/best-places-to-live/ | title=Best places to live | publisher=MoneySense Personal Finance Magazine of the Philippines | date=April 1, 2008 | access-date=July 14, 2013}}</ref> The city has also been declared by the [[Department of Science and Technology (Philippines)|Department of Science and Technology]] as a "center of excellence" for [[information technology]] and [[business process management]] operations.<ref name="CoE">{{cite news | url=http://www.philstar.com/networks/2013/06/03/949331/bacolod-declared-center-excellence-it-bpm | title=Bacolod declared 'Center of Excellence' for IT-BPM |work=The Philippine Star| date=June 3, 2013 | access-date=July 14, 2013}}</ref> In 2017 & 2019, Bacolod was awarded the "''Top Philippine Model City''" as the most livable urban center in the country by [[The Manila Times]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2017/05/12/bacolod-top-philippine-model-city-541482 |title= Bacolod as "Top Philippine Model City" |work= SunStar |date= May 12, 2017 |access-date= May 30, 2017 |archive-date= February 1, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180201042738/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2017/05/12/bacolod-top-philippine-model-city-541482 |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name="SunStar-ModelCity">{{cite news |title=Bacolod is Philippine Top Model City anew |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1825032 |access-date=October 15, 2019 |work=SunStar|date=September 26, 2019}}</ref><ref name="ManilaTimes-ModelCity">{{cite news |last1=Embudo |first1=Franz Lewin |title=BACOLOD CITY, Top Model City is most livable urban center in PH |url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2019/10/03/supplements/bacolod-city-top-model-city-is-most-livable-urban-center-in-ph/625902/ |access-date=October 15, 2019 |work=The Manila Times|date=October 3, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, Bacolod received the "2021 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU) Award" under the category of highly urbanized cities outside the National Capital Region (NCR) in the search organized by the [[Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry]] (PCCI). This was the second time Bacolod received such award having won the same title in 2007.<ref>[https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1160163 "Bacolod City bags 2021 Most Business-Friendly LGU Award" – ''Philippine News Agency'' (PNA)]</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Bacolod City urban area from air (Negros Occidental; 10-19-2023).jpg|thumb|250px|upright|left|Bacolod aerial view, 2023]]
Bacolod is located on the northwestern coast of the large island of [[Negros (Philippines)|Negros]]. Within the island, it is bounded on the north by the city of [[Talisay City, Negros Occidental|Talisay]], on the east by the [[Murcia, Negros Occidental|town of Murcia]] and on the south by the city of [[Bago, Negros Occidental|Bago]]. As a coastal city, it is bounded on the west by the [[Guimaras Strait]], serving as a natural border of northwestern [[Negros Island Region]] to the neighboring [[Western Visayas]]. The global location of Bacolod is 10 degrees, 40 minutes 40 seconds - north and 122 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds - east with [[Bacolod Public Plaza]] as the benchmark.

[[File:Robinsons Place Bacolod.jpg|thumb|right|Skyline of Lacson Street, one of the major streets in the city]]
Bacolod has a total land area of {{convert|16,267|ha|km2 sqmi|abbr=out}}, including straits and bodies of water and the {{convert|124|ha}} reclamation area; and is composed of 61 barangay (villages) and 639 purok (smaller units composing a barangay/village). It is accessible by sea through the ports of Banago; the BREDCO Port in the Reclamation Area, and the port of Pulupandan. By air, it is accessible through the [[Bacolod–Silay International Airport]], which is approximately 13 (four is counting from the Lagoon) kilometers away from the center of the city.

Bacolod is ideally located on a level area, slightly sloping down as it extends toward the sea with an average slope of 0.9 percent for the city proper and between 3 and 5 percent for the suburbs. {{Citation needed|date=September 2015}} The altitude is {{convert|32.8|ft|m|disp=or}} above [[sea level]], with the Bacolod City Public Plaza as the [[Benchmark (surveying)|benchmark]].

===Climate===
Bacolod has a [[tropical monsoon climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Am'') with two pronounced seasons, wet and dry. The rainy (wet) season starts from May to December with heavy rains occurring during August and September. The dry season starts from January until the last week of April.
{{Weather box
| location     = Bacolod
| width        = auto
| metric first = Yes
| single line  = Yes
|temperature colour = pastel
| Jan high C = 31
| Feb high C = 31
| Mar high C = 32
| Apr high C = 34
| May high C = 33
| Jun high C = 32
| Jul high C = 31
| Aug high C = 31
| Sep high C = 31
| Oct high C = 31
| Nov high C = 32
| Dec high C = 31
| Jan low C = 23
| Feb low C = 23
| Mar low C = 24
| Apr low C = 25
| May low C = 25
| Jun low C = 25
| Jul low C = 24
| Aug low C = 24
| Sep low C = 24
| Oct low C = 24
| Nov low C = 24
| Dec low C = 24
|rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 39
| Feb rain mm = 37
| Mar rain mm = 38
| Apr rain mm = 57
| May rain mm = 156
| Jun rain mm = 237
| Jul rain mm = 376
| Aug rain mm = 338
| Sep rain mm = 250
| Oct rain mm = 191
| Nov rain mm = 134
| Dec rain mm = 114
| year rain mm = 1967
| source 1 = [http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Bacolod-City-weather-averages/Bacolod/PH.aspx worldweatheronline.com]
| source 2 = [http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/Philippines/Bacolod/climate-profile.aspx www.myweather2.com]
| date     = December 2012
}}

===Barangays===
[[File:Bacolod City District Map.png|thumb|right|300px|District map of Bacolod]]
[[File:Skyline of Urban Bacolod.png|thumb|right|300px|Panorama of Bacolod with [[Capitol Central|Ayala Malls Capitol Central]] in the background]]
Bacolod is politically subdivided into 61 [[barangay]]s. Each barangay consists of [[purok]]s and some have [[sitios]].
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Magsungay, Bacolod|Barangay 1]] ([[Poblacion]])
* Barangay 2 (Población)
* Barangay 3 (Población)
* Barangay 4 (Población)
* Barangay 5 (Población)
* Barangay 6 (Población)
* Barangay 7 (Población)
* Barangay 8 (Población)
* Barangay 9 (Población)
* Barangay 10 (Población)
* Barangay 11 (Población)
* Barangay 12 (Población)
* Barangay 13 (Población)
* Barangay 14 (Población)
* Barangay 15 (Población)
* Barangay 16 (Población)
* Barangay 17 (Población)
* Barangay 18 (Población)
* Barangay 19 (Población)
* Barangay 20 (Población)
* Barangay 21 (Población)
* Barangay 22 (Población)
* Barangay 23 (Población)
* Barangay 24 (Población)
* Barangay 25 (Población)
* Barangay 26 (Población)
* Barangay 27 (Población)
* Barangay 28 (Población)
* Barangay 29 (Población)
* Barangay 30 (Población)
* Barangay 31 (Población)
* Barangay 32 (Población)
* Barangay 33 (Población)
* Barangay 34 (Población)
* Barangay 35 (Población)
* Barangay 36 (Población)
* Barangay 37 (Población)
* Barangay 38 (Población)
* Barangay 39 (Población)
* Barangay 40 (Población)
* Barangay 41 (Población)
* Alangilan
* Alijis
* Banago
* Bata
* Cabug
* Estefanía
* Felisa
* [[Granada, Bacolod|Granada]]
* Handumanan
* Mandalagan
* Mansilingan
* Montevista
* Pahanocoy
* Punta Taytay
* Singcang-Airport
* [[Sum-ag, Bacolod|Sum-ag]]
* Taculing
* Tangub
* Villamonte
* Vista Alegre
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
[[File:Bacolod Government Center at night.jpg|thumb|270px|The Bacolod City (New) Government Center]]
[[File:ForbesHillMegaworldBacolodMarker.jpg|thumb|Welcome marker in Bacolod near Forbes Hill by [[Megaworld Corporation|Megaworld]]]]
{{Philippine Census
| align= none
| title= Population census of {{PH wikidata|name}}
| 1903 = {{PH census population|1903}}
| 1918 = {{PH census population|1918}}
| 1939 = {{PH census population|1939}}
| 1948 = {{PH census population|1948}}
| 1960 = {{PH census population|1960}}
| 1970 = {{PH census population|1970}}
| 1975 = {{PH census population|1975}}
| 1980 = {{PH census population|1980}}
| 1990 = {{PH census population|1990}}
| 1995 = {{PH census population|1995}}
| 2000 = {{PH census population|2000}}
| 2007 = {{PH census population|2007}}
| 2010 = {{PH census population|2010}}
| 2015 = {{PH census population|2015}}
| 2020 = {{PH census population|2020}}
| 2024 = {{PH census population|2024}}
| 2030 =
| footnote= Source: [[Philippine Statistics Authority]]{{PH wikidata|population_reference}}{{PH census|2015}}{{PH census|2010}}{{PH census|2007}}{{LWUA population data}}
}}

As of 2020, Bacolod has a total population of 600,783,{{PH census|current|NIR}} and its registered voting population is 312,816 voters ([[Philippine general election, 2019|2019]]). Bacolod is the largest city in the Negros Island Region in terms of population.

==Economy==
{{PH poverty incidence}}
[[File:Negros First Cybercentre (Hernaez, Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 10-31-2022).jpg|thumb|left|Negros First CyberCentre IT and BPO Hub]]
[[File:Bacolod North Road, Lacson Street, Art District (Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 10-24-2022).jpg|thumb|left|[[Concentrix]] Bacolod]]
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = Gaisano City Bacolod.jpg
| caption1          = [[Gaisano Grand Malls|Gaisano Grand City Bacolod Mall]]
| image2            = SM City Bacolod from air (Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 10-19-2023).jpg
| caption2          = [[SM City Bacolod]]
| image3            = 888 Chinatown Square Mall (cropped).jpg
| caption3          = 888 Chinatown Square Premier Mall of Bacolod
}}

Bacolod is the Philippines' third fastest growing economy in terms of [[information technology]] (IT) and [[business process outsourcing]] (BPO) activities.<ref name="dost">{{cite web
 |url=http://oltrap.dost.gov.ph/full_story.php?type=News&key=3431:dost-recommends-top-cities-to-locate-your-bpo-operation-in-the-philippines
 |title=DOST recommends top cities to locate your BPO operation in the Philippines
 |access-date=May 16, 2012
 |publisher=[[Department of Science and Technology (Philippines)]]
 |date=April 2, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The city has been recommended by the Information and Communication Technology Office of the [[Department of Science and Technology (Philippines)|Department of Science and Technology]] (DOST) and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) as the best location in the Visayas for BPO activities.<ref name="dost" />
Bacolod ranked 3rd among the top ten "Next Wave Cities" of the Philippines for the best location for BPO and [[offshoring]] according to a 2010 report of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology.<ref>{{cite news |work=Manila Bulletin|title =Bacolod City ranks third in RP's Next Wave Cities | url=http://www.mb.com.ph/node/253574 | access-date = June 27, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=SunStar|title= Bacolod ranks 3rd among top 10 'next wave' cities| url= http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/bacolod-ranks-3rd-among-top-10-next-wave-cities| access-date= June 27, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100628213103/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/bacolod-ranks-3rd-among-top-10-next-wave-cities| archive-date= June 28, 2010| url-status= dead}}</ref> In 2013, the city was declared a "center of excellence" for IT-[[business process management]] operations by the DOST, joining the ranks of [[Metro Manila]], [[Metro Cebu]] and [[Clark Freeport Zone]].<ref name="CoE"/>

Among the notable BPO and [[knowledge process outsourcing|KPO]] companies operating in the city are [[Concentrix]], [[Teleperformance]], [[TTEC]], [[iQor]], [[Transcom WorldWide|Transcom]], Ubiquity Global Services,<ref name="BusinessMirrorBPO">{{cite news|last1=Agency|first1=Philippine News|title=Ubiquity Global expands call center operations in Bacolod City|url=http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/ubiquity-global-expands-call-center-operations-in-bacolod-city/|access-date=November 25, 2015|work=Business Mirror|date=June 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name="BusinessWorldBPO">{{cite news|work=BusinessWorld|last1=Online|first1=BWorld|title=Ubiquity opens Bacolod office for voice BPO|url=http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=ubiquity-opens-bacolod-office-for-voice-bpo&id=94165|access-date=November 25, 2015|publisher=The Business World|date=September 8, 2014|archive-date=December 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203043815/https://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=ubiquity-opens-bacolod-office-for-voice-bpo&id=94165|url-status=dead}}</ref> Panasiatic Solutions,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Agency|first1=Philippine News|title=Amid boom, Bacolod City's BPO talent pool drying up|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/business/114302/call-center-exec-bacolod-needs-more-qualified-workforce-for-bpo-industry|access-date=November 25, 2015|publisher=Interaksyon|date=July 16, 2015}}</ref> [[Focus Direct Inc. – Bacolod]],<ref name="BacolodBPO" /> Pierre and Paul Solutions Inc.,<ref name="BacolodBPO">{{cite news|last1=Press Release |first1=PIA |title=RP outsourcing leaders laud BNEFIT; Bacolod BPO industry growing |url=http://archives.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&sec=reader&rp=5&fi=p090702.htm&no=47&date=y |access-date=November 25, 2015 |work=Philippine Information Agency|date=July 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105175529/http://archives.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&sec=reader&rp=5&fi=p090702.htm&no=47&date=y |archive-date=January 5, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="PanayNewsBPO">{{cite news|last1=News Staff |first1=Panay |title=30 companies joining April 9 job fair |url=http://panaynewsphilippines.com/2015/04/06/30-companies-joining-april-9-job-fair/ |access-date=November 25, 2015 |publisher=Panay News |date=April 6, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105175529/http://panaynewsphilippines.com/2015/04/06/30-companies-joining-april-9-job-fair/ |archive-date=January 5, 2016 }}</ref> TELESYNERGY Corp. – Bacolod,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Webmaster|first1=Provincial|title=NOLITC awards partners and achievers for 2014|url=http://nolitc.negros-occ.gov.ph/news-and-updates/press-releases/nolitc-awards-partners-and-achievers-for-2014/|access-date=November 25, 2015|publisher=Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center|date=December 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216061925/http://nolitc.negros-occ.gov.ph/news-and-updates/press-releases/nolitc-awards-partners-and-achievers-for-2014/|archive-date=February 16, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hit Rate Solutions/Next Level IT Teleservices Inc.,<ref>{{cite news|title=HRS to Extend Call Center Services to Small Businesses|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3423844.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115202328/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3423844.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 15, 2010|access-date=December 25, 2015|publisher=PRWeb|date=January 14, 2010}}</ref><ref name="BacolodBPO" /> Focusinc Group Corporation (FGC Plus),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.focusincgroup.com/ |title=Focusinc Group Corp. official website |access-date=April 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423151945/http://www.focusincgroup.com/ |archive-date=April 23, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Pathcutters Philippines Inc.,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pathcutters.ph/|title=Pathcutters Philippines &#124;|website=www.pathcutters.ph}}</ref> TeleQuest Voice Services (TQVS),<ref name="BacolodBPO" /><ref name="PanayNewsBPO" /> ServiceFirst Call Center and BPO, Fair Trade Outsourcing, Global Strategic Business Process Solutions, Monster Group Bacolod, Orbit Teleservices, VISAYA KPO Bacolod, and iReply Back Office Services.

In 2012, a {{convert|2|ha|adj=on|spell=in}} portion of the {{convert|4|ha|adj=on|spell=in}} [[Paglaum Sports Complex]] was partitioned for the construction of the provincial government-owned Negros First CyberCentre (NFCC) as an IT-BPO Outsourcing Hub with a budget of P674-million. It is located at Lacson corner Hernaez Streets and offers up to 22,000 square meters of mixed IT-BPO and commercial spaces. Its facilities are divided into three sections — Information Technology, Commercial Support Facilities, and Common IT Facilities. It was inaugurated in April 2015 in rites led by President [[Benigno S. Aquino III]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Agency|first1=Philippine News|title=President Aquino unveils P674-M Negros First Cyber Centre|url=http://www.mb.com.ph/president-aquino-unveils-p674-m-negros-first-cyber-centre/|access-date=November 25, 2015|work=Manila Bulletin|date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> The area was initially a residential zone and has been reclassified as a commercial zone as approved by the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Adiong|first1=Eugene|title=Negros First CyberCentre area now a commercial zone|url=http://panaynewsphilippines.com/2014/05/28/negros-first-cybercentre-area-now-a-commercial-zone/|access-date=November 25, 2015|publisher=Panay News|date=May 28, 2014}}</ref>

Along its highways, sugarcane plantations are a typical scene. As of 2003, {{convert|7,216|ha|abbr=out}} of the city's {{convert|8,560|ha|abbr=out}} of agricultural land were still planted with sugarcane. Meanwhile, {{convert|915|ha|abbr=out}} were devoted to rice, {{convert|120|ha|abbr=out}} to assorted vegetables, {{convert|100|ha|abbr=out}} to coconut, {{convert|43|ha|abbr=out}} to banana and {{convert|34|ha|abbr=out}} to corn.<ref>Bitagun, Karen B. [http://www.philippinebusiness.com.ph/magazines/geographics.htm "The Future Smiles On The City Of Smiles"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412082524/http://www.philippinebusiness.com.ph/magazines/geographics.htm |date=April 12, 2008 }}, ''Philippine Business''. Retrieved on May 11, 2008.</ref>

According to the "Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2005" of [[Asian Institute of Management]] (AIM), Bacolod tops the list in terms of infrastructure, ahead of such other mid-size cities like [[Iligan]], [[Calamba, Laguna|Calamba]] and [[General Santos]]. The city also tops the list in terms of quality of life, ahead of such other mid-size cities like [[San Fernando, Pampanga|San Fernando]], [[Baguio]], [[Iloilo City|Iloilo]] and [[Lipa, Batangas|Lipa]]. AIM also recognized Bacolod as one of the ''Top Five'' most competitive mid-size cities together with [[Batangas City|Batangas]], Iligan, Iloilo, and San Fernando.<ref>[http://www.aim.edu/media/PCCRP%202005%20final%20presentation.pdf "Pinoy Cities on the Rise - The Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2005 National Presentation of Results"]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''[[Asian Institute of Management]]''. Retrieved on May 11, 2008.</ref>

In 2022, President [[Bongbong Marcos]] unveiled [[Megaworld Corporation]]'s plan to build a 34-hectare mixed-used development called Megaworld Upper East. The project is said to generate over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs in the province of Negros Occidental, 100,000 of which are BPO employees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title=PBBM unveils P38-B Megaworld Upper East in Bacolod |url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/2022/10/24/pbbm-unveils-p38-b-megaworld-upper-east-in-bacolod |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=PIA}}</ref>

{{clear left}}

==Sports==

===Football===

Bacolod hosted the [[Football at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games|2005 Southeast Asian Games Football tournament]], the [[2007 ASEAN Football Championship qualification]], the [[2010 AFC U-16 Championship qualification]] and the [[2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification]] play-off first leg was held at the Panaad Stadium where the [[Philippines national football team|Philippines]] won 2–0 over [[Mongolia national football team|Mongolia]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=656094&publicationSubCategoryId=69 |title=Nation toasts Azkal's 2–0 win |author=Leyba, Olmin |work=The Philippine Star|date=February 10, 2011 }}</ref> Likewise the city has the home football stadium of the [[Philippines national football team]] (Azkals).

The [[Philippines Football League]] side [[Ceres–Negros F.C.]] is based in the city, playing their home games at the newly renovated [[Panaad Stadium]].

Since Bacolod is also being tagged as a "Football City" in the country,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archive.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/opinion/2014/04/22/jimenez-bacolod-now-football-city-339232 |title=Bacolod is now the football city - ''Sun.Star Bacolod Archive.'' |access-date=October 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006052132/http://archive.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/opinion/2014/04/22/jimenez-bacolod-now-football-city-339232 |archive-date=October 6, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> an ordinance was approved by the City Council in June 2015, setting the third week of the month of April every year as the "Bacolod City Football Festival Week".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph//article/15375/Entertainment/Bacolod-SP-approves-ordinance-setting-Football-Festival-Week|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205061440/https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/15375/Entertainment/Bacolod-SP-approves-ordinance-setting-Football-Festival-Week|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2020|title=Bacolod SP approves ordinance setting 'Football Festival Week'|date=June 20, 2015|work=SunStar}}</ref>

Ceres-Negros FC is the Philippines Football League 2018 Champion.

===Basketball===
[[File:La Salle Coliseum.jpg|thumb|Exterior of the [[La Salle Coliseum]]]]
Bacolod is home to two professional basketball teams, both in the [[Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League]], with the [[Bacolod City of Smiles]] and [[Negros Muscovados]] both playing their home games at [[La Salle Coliseum]]. It is also the former home of the [[Negros Slashers]] of the defunct [[Metropolitan Basketball Association]].

The 2008 and 2024 PBA All-Star Weekend was held in the city and has since been a regular venue of the [[Philippine Basketball Association]]'s out-of-town games. The Sandugo Unigames 2012 was also hosted by the city participated by various universities across the country.
to 
The Greg Gasataya Basketball (GGBL) League is the most prominent and prestigious inter-barangay basketball league of the city since 2017 to the present.

===Karate===
The 1996 [[Philippine Karatedo Federation]] (PKF) National Championships and the 20th PKF National Open 2007 were held in the city. Both events were hosted by [[La Salle Coliseum]] of the [[University of St. La Salle]]. The tournaments were contested by hundreds of karatekas all over the country.<ref>''PKF and POF National Karatedo Winners,''[http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2007/09/26/sports/jack.and.jill.karatekas.pocket.10.pof.medals.html Team Jack & Jill School] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213030845/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2007/09/26/sports/jack.and.jill.karatekas.pocket.10.pof.medals.html |date=February 13, 2009 }}, Sunstar September 26, 2007</ref><ref>''Karatedo Winners,'' [https://archive.today/20070611021922/http://www.visayandailystar.com/2007/September/17/sportnews4.htm NOKAF Karatedo], Visayan Daily Star September 17, 2007, edition</ref>

===Golf===
There are two major golf courses in the city: the Bacolod Golf and Country Club and the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club. The city hosted the 61st [[Philippine Airlines]] Inter-club Golf Tournament and the 2008 Philippine Amateur Golf Championship. A Golf tournament sponsored by the City Mayor is also held every Masskara.

===Mixed martial arts===
Bacolod is home to many mixed martial arts competitions including quarterly fights hosted by the [[Universal Reality Combat Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/15661-urcc-bacolod-brawl-4|title=URCC: Bacolod Brawl 4 &#124; MMA Event|website=Tapology}}</ref>

===Parkour===
The first [[Parkour]] team in Negros, known as "Parkour Bacolod", started in late 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mugstoria.com/esgralito/12-sports-that-are-played-everywhere-in-bacolod/ |title=12 Sports That Are Played Everywhere In Bacolod |access-date=December 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090141/http://mugstoria.com/esgralito/12-sports-that-are-played-everywhere-in-bacolod/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://philippinesvideo.com/parkour-bacolod-kwatro-kantos-iii-2015/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005065747/http://philippinesvideo.com/parkour-bacolod-kwatro-kantos-iii-2015/|url-status=dead|title=PARKOUR BACOLOD : KWATRO KANTOS III 2015|archive-date=October 5, 2015|website=philippinesvideo.com}}</ref>

==Culture==
<gallery widths="150" heights="120">
Freshly baked piaya.jpg|[[Piaya (food)|Piaya]], a muscovado-filled flatbread, is a common delicacy in Bacolod.
Cansi.jpg|A bowl of [[cansi]], a beef shank and marrow soup originated in Bacolod.
Chicken Inasal.JPG|Bacolod's [[chicken inasal]] is popular for its distinct marination.
Napoleones.jpg|[[Mille-feuille#Philippines|''Napoleones'']], a modern ''Negrense'' version of ''[[mille-feuille]]'', is a layered flaky puff pastry filled with custard cream and glazed with white sugar on top.
</gallery>

[[File:Queen of Masskara.jpg|thumb|[[MassKara Festival]] Street Dancing]]
[[File:Bacolaodiat.jpg|thumb|150px|Lantern display during Bacolaodiat]]

===Masskara Festival===
{{Main|MassKara Festival}}
The [[MassKara Festival]] (Hiligaynon: Pista sang Maskara, Filipino: Fiesta ng Maskara) is an annual festival held on the fourth Sunday of October in Bacolod. Dancers wear masks, which is where the festival gets its name.

===Panaad sa Negros Festival===
{{Main|Panaad sa Negros Festival}}
The [[Panaad sa Negros Festival]], or just the Panaad Festival (sometimes spelled as Pana-ad), is a festival held annually during the month of April. Panaad is the Hiligaynon word for "vow" or "promise"; the festival is a form of thanksgiving to Divine Providence and commemoration of a vow in exchange for a good life.<ref>{{cite web | title =Panaad sa Negros | url =http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/panaad.htm | access-date =January 24, 2009 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081220061026/http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/panaad.htm | archive-date =December 20, 2008 | url-status =dead }}</ref>

The celebration is held at the Panaad Park, which also houses the Panaad Stadium, and is participated in by the 13 cities and 19 towns of the province. For this reason, the province dubs it the "mother" of all its festivals.

===Bacolaodiat Festival===
Bacolod's Chinese New Year Festival. It comes from the word "Bacolod" and "Lao Diat" which means celebration.<ref>{{cite web | title =Bacolaodiat Festival | url =https://www.experiencenegros.com/bacolaodiat-festival/ | access-date =January 16, 2020}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
===Panaad Park and Sports Complex===
{{Main|Panaad Park and Sports Complex}}
[[File:Panaad Stadium field.jpg|thumb|left|Football field of the [[Panaad Stadium]] located within the [[Panaad Park and Sports Complex]]]]
The [[Panaad Park and Sports Complex]] is a multi-purpose park in the city owned by the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental. Situated in the complex is the [[Panaad Stadium]] which is currently used mostly for football matches. It is the home stadium of [[Philippines Football League]] team [[Ceres–Negros F.C.]] It was used for the [[2005 South East Asian Games]] and was the venue of the pre-qualifiers of the [[2007 ASEAN Football Championship]] or ASEAN Cup.

The stadium has a seating capacity of 15,500, but holds around 20,000 people with standing areas. It is unofficially designated as the home stadium of the Philippines national football team. Aside from the football field, it also has a rubberized track oval, an [[Olympic-size swimming pool]] and other sports facilities.
The stadium is also the home of [[Panaad sa Negros Festival]], a week-long celebration participated in by all cities and municipalities in the province held annually every summer. The festival is highlighted by merry-making, field demonstrations, pageant and concert at the stadium. The stadium itself features replicas of the landmarks of the 13 cities and 19 municipalities of Negros Occidental.

===Bacolod Public Plaza===
{{Main|Bacolod Public Plaza}}
[[File:Bacolod Public Plaza Bandstand (Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 10-23-2022).jpg|thumb|left|The [[Bacolod Public Plaza]] in 2022]]
The [[Bacolod Public Plaza]] is one of the notable landmarks in Bacolod, the capital of Negros Occidental, which is found right in the heart of downtown area, very near to the city hall and right across the [[San Sebastian Cathedral]].

The plaza is the celebrated place of [[MassKara Festival]].<ref>''Masskara Festival,''[http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2008/10/05/news/city.plaza.reinvented.for.masskara.festival.html Sunstar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017052914/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2008/10/05/news/city.plaza.reinvented.for.masskara.festival.html |date=October 17, 2008 }}, October 5, 2008, edition</ref> It is a week-long festival held each year in Bacolod City every third weekend of October nearest October 19, the city's [[Charter]] Anniversary. Bacolod public plaza is the final destination of Masskara street dancing competitions which is the highlights of the celebration.

===Capitol Park & Lagoon===
{{Main|Capitol Park and Lagoon}}
[[File:Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol park and lagoon at night.jpg|thumb|Landscape of the [[Capitol Park and Lagoon]] front view]]
The [[Capitol Park and Lagoon]] is a provincial park located right in the heart of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, in the Philippines. One of the landmarks of the park is the [[carabao]] ([[water buffalo]]) being reared by a woman. This carabao is located at the northern end of the lagoon. On the southern end, there is also another carabao sculpture being pulled by a man. Locals are known to feed pop corns, pop rice, and other edible delicacies sold within the park to the fishes in the lagoon.

===Negros Museum===
{{Main|Negros Museum}}
[[Negros Museum]] is a privately owned provincial museum situated in the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol Complex in Bacolod City, Philippines. The structure was built in 1925 as the Provincial Agriculture Building. Negros Museum Cafe serves the needs of museum goers and walk-in guests, situated in the West Annex of the museum. It includes a separate entrance, which includes an open-air and an in-house station occasionally used for small theater plays and art exhibitions. The cafe and the resident chef serves as the official caterer of the Office of the Governor and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental for official dignitary functions<ref>[[Negros Museum]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=May 2017}}

===Paglaum Sports Complex===
[[File:PaglaumSportsComplex.jpg|right|thumb|Inside the [[Paglaum Sports Complex]]]]
The [[Paglaum Sports Complex]] is a provincial-owned sports venue adjacent to the [[Negros Occidental High School]] established during the 1970s that hosted various football events, such as the 1991 Philippines International Cup and the football event of the [[Football at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games|2005 Southeast Asian Games]]. It also hosted three editions of the [[Palarong Pambansa]] (1971, 1974, 1979). However, the stadium became unfit to host football matches following the erection of business establishments around the area. In 2012, a two-hectare portion of the four-hectare complex was partitioned for the construction of the Capitol-owned Negros First CyberCentre (NFCC) as an IT-BPO Outsourcing Hub. As of 2013, the provincial government has been proposing for a renovation of the stadium to serve as alternative venue to [[Panaad Park and Sports Complex]], particularly for football competition. Recently, the Paglaum Sports Complex also serves as an alternative venue to the Bacolod Public Plaza for the MassKara Festival celebration.

===Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center===

The [[Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center]] (NOMPAC) is a provincial-owned multi-use [[gym]] adjacent to the [[Capitol Park and Lagoon]]. It is currently used mostly for [[basketball]], [[karatedo]] and [[boxing]] matches. Aside from the gym, it also serves as [[emergency evacuation|evacuation]] site of the province during calamities likewise also serves as [[cultural]] facilities in many events.

===BAYS Center===

The [[Bacolod Arts & Youth Sports Center]] (BAYS Center) is a multi-use [[gym]] fronting the [[Bacolod Public Plaza]]. It is used mostly for [[basketball]], [[karatedo]] and [[boxing]] matches, and was previously used in events in the city like the [[MassKara Festival]] activities and other government related activities like seminars, business and political gatherings.

The gym has a seating capacity of more than a thousand. It is officially designated as the [[Commission on Elections (Philippines)|COMELEC]] tally headquarters for both local and [[nation]]al [[election]] in the [[Philippines]].

===Bacolod Baywalk===
[[File:BacolodBaywalkNight.jpg|thumb|Bacolod Baywalk]]
The Bacolod Baywalk is a privately owned [[esplanade]] situated near the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation (BREDCO) at the city's Reclamation Area. It was first opened in 2013 and re-opened to the public in 2022.

===Art District===
Art District located along Lacson Street is known for its street art mural and graffiti, restaurants and nightlife.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jovialwanderer.com/2014/04/bacolod-series-why-visit-bacolod.html|title=Bacolod Series : Reasons to Visit the City of Smiles|date=April 21, 2014 }}</ref>

==Healthcare==
[[File:DPOTMH.jpg|thumb|Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital]]
Bacolod has one [[public hospital|public]] [[tertiary hospital|tertiary]] [[teaching|teaching-learning hospital]] under the direct management of the [[Department of Health (Philippines)|Department of Health]] – Negros Island Regional Office ([[regional hospital]]): the [[Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital]] (CLMMRH). In September 2022, as per Republic Act 11564, the city government-owned Bacolod City General Hospital held its groundbreaking and is expected to be completed and operational in 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Zubiri commits additional P400 M for completion of Bacolod City General Hospital |url=https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/11/zubiri-commits-additional-p400-m-for-completion-of-bacolod-city-general-hospital/ |last=Masculino |first=Glazyl |date= September 11, 2022 |work=[[Manila Bulletin]] |access-date=September 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=ZP800-M city hospital to boost health care for 600K Bacolodnons |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183362 |last=Guadalquiver |first=Nanette |date= September 9, 2022 |work=[[Philippine News Agency]] |access-date=September 9, 2022}}</ref> The Bacolod City Health Office is responsible for the implementation and planning of the health care programs provided by the city government, which also operates and supervises Health Centers in the barangays of the city. [[Private hospital]]s in Bacolod that provide [[tertiary care]] include the: Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital (owned and operated by The Riverside Medical Center Inc.); The Doctors' Hospital Inc.; Adventist Medical Center – Bacolod; Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital; South Bacolod General Hospital and Medical Center Inc., Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center; and the upcoming Asia–Pacific Medical Center Bacolod Inc.

==Education==
{{see also|List of private schools in Bacolod|List of tertiary schools in Bacolod}}
[[File:Csab facade.JPG|thumb|[[Colegio San Agustin - Bacolod]] administration building façade]]
[[File:Negros Occidental High School.jpg|thumb|[[Negros Occidental High School]]]]
[[File:OutsideUSLS.jpg|thumb|[[University of St. La Salle]] entrance]]
[[File:Mapua Malayan Digital College - Learning Hub Bacolod.jpg|thumb|[[Mapúa University|Mapúa]] [[Malayan Colleges Laguna|Malayan]] Digital College – Learning Hub Bacolod]]
[[File:NU-Bacolod.jpg|thumb|[[National University Bacolod]]]]
Bacolod currently has 5 large universities and more than a dozen other schools specializing in various courses. Currently, as sanctioned by the [[Department of Education (Philippines)|Department of Education]], all primary and secondary institutions in the city use the [[K–12 (education)#Philippines|K-12]] and the MATATAG educational system.

The city alone currently hosts five of well-known educational institutions in the nation. These are:
* [[University of St. La Salle]] (1952), a Lasallian district school and the second oldest campus founded by the De La Salle Philippines congregation in the country.
* [[University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos]] (1941), administered by the Order of Augustinian Recollects and the first university in the province of Negros Occidental and the city of Bacolod.
* [[STI West Negros University]] (1948), founded by Baptist Protestants and later acquired by the STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc.
* [[Carlos Hilado Memorial State University]] (1954), the only state university in Bacolod which has 2 satellite campuses within the city aside from its main campus in nearby Talisay City.
* [[National University Bacolod]] (2024), the first satellite campus outside Luzon of the [[National University (Philippines)|National University]] based in Manila which was originally founded in 1900 and later acquired by [[SM Investments]] in 2008.

Other noteworthy educational institutions include:
* [[Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod]] (1962)
* [[La Consolacion College Bacolod]] (1919)
* [[Riverside College, Inc.]] (1961)
* [[John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation – Bacolod]] (1974)
* [[VMA Global College]] (1974)
* [[Bacolod Christian College of Negros]] (1954)
* [[Bacolod City College]] (1997)
* [[Our Lady of Mercy College – Bacolod]] (2008)
* [[College of Arts & Sciences of Asia & the Pacific|College of Arts & Sciences of Asia & the Pacific – Bacolod Campus]] (2016)
* [[AMA Computer University|AMA Computer College – Bacolod Campus]] (2012)
* [[AMA Computer University#Member schools|ABE International Business College – Bacolod Campus]] (1999)
* Asian College of Aeronautics – Bacolod Branch (Main Campus) (2003)
* [[Mapúa University|Mapúa]] [[Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna|Malayan]] Digital College – Learning Hub Bacolod (2022)
* [[St. Benilde School]] (1987)
* [[St. Joseph School–La Salle]] (1960)
* St. Scholastica's Academy – Bacolod (1958)
* [[St. John's Institute (Hua Ming)]] (1959)
* [[Bacolod Tay Tung High School]] (1934)
* [[Jack and Jill School]]/[[Castleson High]] (1963/1995)
* Bacolod Trinity Christian School, Inc. (1976)
* Negros Occidental High School (1902)

==Transportation==

===Airports===
{{Main|Bacolod-Silay Airport}}
{{multiple image
<!-- Essential parameters -->
| align     = left
| direction = vertical
| image1    = Bacolod-Silay City International Airport exterior.jpg
| caption1  = The [[Bacolod-Silay Airport]] terminal building
| image2    = Bacolod City Domestic Airport.jpg
| caption2  = Exterior of the former [[Bacolod City Domestic Airport]]
}}

The [[Bacolod–Silay Airport]], located in nearby [[Silay|City of Silay]], is 15 kilometers north-east from Bacolod. Bacolod is 1 hour by air from [[Ninoy Aquino International Airport|Manila]], 30 minutes by air from [[Mactan–Cebu International Airport|Cebu]], 1 hour by air from [[Laguindingan International Airport|Cagayan de Oro]] and 1 hour and 10 minutes by air from [[Francisco Bangoy International Airport|Davao City]].

[[Bacolod City Domestic Airport]] was the former airport serving the general area of Bacolod. It was one of the busiest airports in the [[Western Visayas]] region, when Bacolod and Negros Occidental were both still part of it. This airport was later replaced by the new Bacolod–Silay International Airport, located in Silay. It was classified as such by the [[Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines]] or CAAP, a body of the [[Department of Transportation (Philippines)|Department of Transportation]] that is responsible for the operations of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports. The Bacolod City Domestic Airport ceased operations on January 17, 2008, prior to the opening of the Bacolod–Silay International Airport which began operations the day after.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gomez |first=Carla P. |title=Bacolod mayor snubbed in airport inauguration? |page=1 |publisher=Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc. |date=January 17, 2008 |url=http://www.visayandailystar.com/2008/January/17/topstory1.htm |access-date=January 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118112527/http://www.visayandailystar.com/2008/January/17/topstory1.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Ports===
[[File:Bacolod Mandalagan skyline, Bredco Terminal (Bacolod, Negros Occidental; 11-28-2024).jpg|thumb|200x200px|BREDCO Port]]
[[File:Tricycles at the ferry port in Bacolod, Negros Occidental 2.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Motorized tricycle (Philippines)|Motorized tricycles]] stationed at BREDCO Port]]
BREDCO Port and Port of Banago are the vessels entry point in Bacolod. It has Fastcrafts going to Iloilo City daily, with different companies such as [[SRN Fast Seacrafts|Weesam Express]], [[Ocean Fast Ferries|OceanJet]], and [[Montenegro Lines]]. It also has Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) vessels going daily, to the Port of [[Dumangas]], [[Iloilo]] with companies such as [[Montenegro Lines]], [[Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation|FastCat]], [[Starlite Ferries]], and Tri-Star Megalink.

[[2GO Travel]] has routes from Bacolod going to [[Manila]], [[Batangas]], [[Iloilo]] and [[Cagayan de Oro]].

Bacolod is 18 to 23 hours from the [[Port of Manila]], 12 to 15 hours from the [[Cagayan de Oro|Port of Cagayan de Oro]], 2 to 3 hours from the [[Dumangas, Iloilo|Port of Dumangas]] and 1 hour from the [[Port of Iloilo]].

'''Current Routes going to Bacolod as of October 2024:'''

'''Manila - Batangas - Iloilo - Bacolod - Manila'''

''Served by''

*2GO Travel

'''Manila - Iloilo - Bacolod - Cagayan De Oro - Manila'''

''Served by''

*2GO Travel

'''Bacolod - Iloilo'''

''Served By''

*Montenegro Lines 
*OceanJet
*Wessam Express

'''Bacolod (BREDCO) - Dumangas'''

''Served by''

*Montenegro Lines 
*Tri-Star Megalink

'''Bacolod (Banago) - Dumangas'''

''Served By''

*FastCat
*Starlite Ferries

===Land routes===
{{multiple image
| align     = right
| direction = vertical
| image1    = BACOLOD 1.JPG
| caption1  = Downtown Bacolod street
| image2    = Bacolod City Flyover.jpg
| caption2  = The Lacson-Circumferential (Bata) Flyover
| image3    = BacolodBSAquinoDrive.jpg
| caption3  = B.S. Aquino Drive
}}
Bacolod has two main roads, Lacson Street to the north and Araneta Street to the south. The streets in the downtown area are [[One-way traffic|one way]], making Bacolod free from traffic congestion. Recently, Bacolod City is experiencing an increase in traffic congestion due to an increase in number of vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ndb-online.com/dec2308l3|title=Bacolod City}}{{dead link|date=September 2019}}</ref>

By land-ferry, Bacolod is approximately an hour directly from [[Iloilo City]] while by land-[[RORO]]-land, Bacolod is approximately 3 hours from Iloilo City via [[Dumangas]] route. By land-ferry-land, Bacolod City is approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes from [[Cebu City]] via [[Toledo, Cebu|Toledo]]-[[San Carlos City, Negros Occidental|San Carlos]]/[[Don Salvador Benedicto]] route while it takes approximately 6 hours by land-RORO-land via same route. By land-RORO-land, Bacolod is approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes from Cebu City via [[Tabuelan, Cebu|Tabuelan]]–[[Escalante, Negros Occidental|Escalante]], Toledo-San Carlos/Escalante and Toledo-San Carlos/[[Canlaon]] routes. Bacolod to [[Dumaguete]] via [[Mabinay]] route is approximately 6 hours while via [[Cadiz, Negros Occidental|Cadiz]]–San Carlos route takes approximately 8 hours, both routes going [[Negros Oriental]]. Bacolod is {{convert|215|km}} from [[Dumaguete]] via Kabankalan-Mabinay-Bais Road.

=== Accredited transport cooperatives ===
As of 2021:<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2021 |title=Accredited Transport Cooperatives as of January 2021 |url=https://otc.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Accredited-Transport-Cooperatives-Jan-2021-Web.pdf |website=[[Office of Transportation Cooperatives]]}}</ref>
* Bacolod South, Sum-ag, Punta Taytay Transport Service Cooperative
* Metro Bacolod Transport Service Cooperative-EAST
* Negros East Transport Service Cooperative
* Regional Transport Service Cooperative (RETRANSCO)
* United Negros Transport Cooperative
* CHORET Corporation

==Notable personalities==
<!--NOTE: Only add people with own Wikipedia article as per WP notability.-->
{{main|List of people from Bacolod}}

==Sister cities==
<!-- Note to editors: Please do not put a link in a header. -->
Bacolod has the following [[Town twinning|sister cities]]:<ref name="PanayNews-SisterCities">{{cite news |last1=Tayona |first1=Glenda |last2=Silubrico |first2=Ruby |title=Iloilo to showcase culture to 'sister cities' tonight |url=https://www.panaynews.net/iloilo-to-showcase-culture-to-sister-cities-tonight/ |access-date=April 9, 2019 |work=Panay News |date=August 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409192355/https://www.panaynews.net/iloilo-to-showcase-culture-to-sister-cities-tonight/ |archive-date=April 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Highlights of the City |url=http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/highlights_of_the_city.htm |publisher=Public Information - Office of the City Mayor (Bacolod City) |access-date=August 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213171326/http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/highlights_of_the_city.htm |archive-date=February 13, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bacolod City wants to establish business relations with sister cities |url=http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/17/businessnews2.htm |publisher=Visayan Daily Star |date=May 17, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021215805/http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/17/businessnews2.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2006 |access-date=April 5, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Naga City: Inside Cityhall - Executive Orders: Culture and Heritage, and Naming of Streets |url=http://www.naga.gov.ph/sp/list.php?id=4 |publisher=Naga City Local Government |year=2003 |access-date=September 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611112321/http://www.naga.gov.ph/sp/list.php?id=4 |archive-date=June 11, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=GMA News|title=Bacolod forges ties with cities in Indonesia and South Korea |url=http://www.gmanews.tv/story/124856/Bacolod-forges-ties-with-cities-in-Indonesia-and-South-Korea |publisher=[[GMA Network]] |date=October 4, 2008 |access-date=October 9, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bacolod inks sister ties with Korean city |url=http://www.visayandailystar.com/2012/October/16/topstory1.htm |publisher=Visayan Daily Star |date=October 16, 2012 |access-date=October 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019042210/http://www.visayandailystar.com/2012/October/16/topstory1.htm |archive-date=October 19, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2012/05/11/council-approves-sisterhood-twinning-taguig-220930 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130616061408/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2012/05/11/council-approves-sisterhood-twinning-taguig-220930 | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 16, 2013 | title = Council approves sisterhood, twinning with Taguig |work=SunStar| date = May 11, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2013/08/22/city-send-aid-marikina-flood-victims-299120 |title=Bacolod send aid to Marikina |work=SunStar |date=August 2013 |access-date=February 20, 2015 |archive-date=February 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220064226/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2013/08/22/city-send-aid-marikina-flood-victims-299120 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2017/07/10/bacolod-long-beach-renew-sisterhood-ties-552095|title= Bacolod, Long Beach renew sisterhood ties|work= SunStar|date= July 10, 2017|access-date= July 22, 2017|archive-date= August 17, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170817175518/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2017/07/10/bacolod-long-beach-renew-sisterhood-ties-552095|url-status= dead}}</ref>

===Local===
* [[Cebu City]]
* [[Dumaguete]]
* [[Iloilo City]]
* [[Legazpi, Albay]]
* [[Makati]]
* [[Marikina]]
* [[Naga, Camarines Sur]]
* [[Parañaque]]
* [[Taguig]]

===International===
* {{Flagicon|South Korea}} [[Andong]], South Korea<ref name=SisterCities>{{cite news |title=City to forge ties with South Korea, Indonesia |url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2008/09/28/news/city.to.forge.ties.with.south.korea.indonesia.html |publisher=Sun.Star Bacolod |date=2008-09-27 |access-date=2008-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001161240/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2008/09/28/news/city.to.forge.ties.with.south.korea.indonesia.html |archive-date=2008-10-01 }}</ref>
* {{Flagicon|Australia}} [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], Australia
* {{Flagicon|Canada}} [[Kamloops]], Canada<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/17/businessnews2.htm |title=DAILY STAR: Business |website=www.visayandailystar.com |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021215805/http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/17/businessnews2.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{Flagicon|Taiwan}} [[Keelung]], Taiwan
* {{Flagicon|United States}} [[Long Beach, California]], United States – However, [[Sister Cities International]] designates Bacolod and Long Beach as Friendship Cities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sister Cities International (SCI)|url=http://sistercities.org/annual-report/|access-date=June 10, 2021|website=Sister Cities International (SCI)|language=en-US}}</ref>
* {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Singaraja]], Indonesia

==See also==
* [[Negros Occidental]]
* [[Hiligaynon language]]
* [[Metro Bacolod]]
* [[Ceres–Negros F.C.]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Bacolod}}
* {{official website|http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/}}
* [{{NSCB detail}} Philippine Standard Geographic Code]

{{Geographic location
| Centre = Bacolod
| North  = [[Talisay, Negros Occidental|Talisay]]
| East   = [[Murcia, Negros Occidental|Murcia]]
| South  = [[Bago, Negros Occidental|Bago]]
| West   = ''[[Guimaras Strait]]''
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Articles Related to Bacolod
| list  =
{{Negros Occidental}}
{{Negros Island Region}}
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{{Philippine Provincial Capitals}}
{{Most populous cities in Philippines}}
{{Largest cities and municipalities in Visayas}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bacolod| ]]
[[Category:Metro Bacolod]]
[[Category:Cities in Negros Occidental]]
[[Category:Highly urbanized cities in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1575]]
[[Category:1575 establishments in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in the Philippines]]