Dumaguete, the Provincial Capital of Oriental Negros, is known as the City of Gentle People because of the kind and hospitable inhabitants. In a country known for hospitality, this city stands out above the rest. The word Dumaguete is derived from the term dumaguit in the local dialect, meaning “to kidnap.” At one time, this term referred to the numerous pirates and buccaneers that attacked the city.
The name has evolved, and now accounts for the powerful allure the city has on its visitors, and once you come to visit you may not want to leave. Oriental Negros has beautiful beaches, crested mountains, exciting urban life and more, and it's a place that will invite you with open arms and enticing possibilities.
Most people in Dumaguete are fluent in English. The local dialect spoken here is Cebuano, and the national anguage is Tagalog.
Oriental Negros has standard temperatures between 26 degrees Celcius to 30 degrees Celcius year round. The wet season is from June to November. February through May are the hottest months, and December through January the temperatures are a little cooler. As Negros is located to the West, it is somewhat protected from the many typhoons that batter the Eastern side of the Visayas.
Of the Philippines 7,107 islands, Negros (Oriental and Occidental) is the forth-largest island. The mountains embrace the coastline throughout the province, and Mount Talinis and Mount Kanlaon , a live volcano, are the two highest peaks.
Oriental Negros has a total population of 1,130,088, a household population of 1,128,634 in a 227,160 number of households. This data was taken on May 1, 2000 during the latest census conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
Dumaguete is host to three hospitals offering excellent health care to those in need. Silliman University Medical Center , Holy Child Hospital and the Oriental Negros Provincial Hospital all have emergency rooms and regular clinics.
While the water in Dumaguete is considered safe, visitors are encouraged to drink water from bottled mineral water sold from accredited vendors, just to be on the safe side.
Electricity in Dumaguete is 220V. Occasionally there are brownouts. These do not usually last long, except for scheduled brownouts, which are typically on the weekend and are for the entire day.
The local economy is mainly agricultural. Oriental Negros is one of the few islands in the Philippines that boasts conditions that yield year round mango harvests, and agricultural production is large in coconut and sugar. Other sectors of commerce include light industry and a burgeoning tourist industry.
