Cauayan, Philippines

History

Before the arrival of the Spaniards in Negros, the area that would become this town was a wilderness inhabited by indigenous people who relied on hunting and fishing. The original settlement was surrounded by dense bamboo thickets, known in Hiligaynon language as kawayán, giving rise to the name "Cauayan" (pronounced kawayán, "place where bamboo grows abundantly").

Don Vicente Paulo Decena, believed to have come from Cebu, formally established Cauayan in 1822. During the Spanish period, the location of the municipal government was contested among Guiljungan, Cauayan, and Isio, with Isio ultimately chosen as the administrative center due to its larger population. Despite this, gobernadorcillos were also appointed to Cauayan and Guiljungan.

During the Spanish period, Cauayan was evangelized by the Augustinian Recollects. It became in independent parish in 1851, having San Pablo Apóstol has the patron of the town. They were the teachers of the native children the first public schools were open after 1863. After the American administration arrived in 1904, the tribunal in Isio was moved to Cauayan, which encouraged socioeconomic growth. Residents were introduced to modern agricultural practices, and public infrastructure including schoolhouses, roads, and bridges was constructed.

From the History section of Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.