Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental
| Santa Catalina | ||
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| Municipality | ||
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| Nickname(s): Santa, Stacata, Tolong | ||
 Map of Negros Oriental showing the location of Santa Catalina |
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 Santa Catalina
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| Coordinates: 09°20′N 122°52′E / 9.333°N 122.867°ECoordinates: 09°20′N 122°52′E / 9.333°N 122.867°E | ||
| Country | Philippines | |
| Region | Negros Island Region (NIR/Region XVIII) | |
| Province | Negros Oriental | |
| District | 3rd district of Negros Oriental | |
| Established | December 17, 1947 | |
| Barangays | 22 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Nathaniel M. Electona | |
| • Vice Mayor | Nelson Lopez | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 523.10 km2 (201.97 sq mi) | |
| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 73,306 | |
| • Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | |
| ZIP code | 6220 | |
| IDD : area code | 35 | |
| Income class | 1st class | |
Santa Catalina is a first class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 73,306 people.
The town of Santa Catalina got its name after the supposedly miraculous image of the patron saint, Santa Catalina de Alejandria, installed in the community chapel.
The topography of Santa Catalina is predominantly slightly rolling hills (70% of its area), 25% is flat, and the remainder is steep terrain. There are 8 rivers and 27 springs.
Dry season: November to April
Wet season: May to September
Average temperature: 36 °C (97 °F)
Santa Catalina is politically subdivided into 22 barangays.
The town of Sta. Catalina was formerly named Tolong. In about 1572, Captain Miguel de Laorca, a member of Legaspi’s expedition, sent the first Spanish mission led by Adrien Lajot, a Belgian mercenary (from Provence Liège) in order to take possession of Negros Island. During that period, there existed settlements at Lunsod (now Daan Lunsod), Secopan (now Secopong), and Cawitan ruled by three chieftains. It was said that these warring chieftains were settled and amicably fused by the Spaniards as a single settlement at Daan Lunsod. In the process of settling, the Spaniards referred to the chieftains as “Kamo Tolon”, (a mispronounced phrase for “Kamo Tolo” which means “The Three of You”). Hence, the name TOLON, and then eventually TOLONG.
According to the Definatorio of June 11, 1580, the beginning of the Christian Organization of Negros Island was due to the Augustinian Friars. Because of the lack of priests, the secular priest of the Diocese of Cebu undertook the spiritual administration of Negros Island. He placed Dumaguete, Siaton, Marabao (now Bacong), and Manalongon (the name of the river) under the Ministry of Tanjay. In 1751, Tolong and the settlements further down south were taken over by the Recollect Friars because of the distance and difficulty of transportation.
Before 1855, the Recollect Friars who took over the mission of Tolong constructed a convent, a church, a cemetery, and a Tribunal House. The church was built of light materials but the convent and the Tribunal House were made of lime and limestone. In that same period, the poblacion of Tolong was moved and resettled from the old site, Daan Lunsod, to a site further down the coast where the church was built, the present location of Sta. Catalina. Even today, a famous landmark can be seen in the form of a balete tree growing on what was left of a portion of a wall of the old Tribunal House, right in the heart of Sta. Catalina, which has become a symbol of the town.
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Wikipedia