# Mayor of Bacolod

The City Mayor of Bacolod (Filipino: Punong Lungsod ng Bakulod); (Hiligaynon: Alkalde sang Dakbanwa sang Bacolod) is the local chief executive and head of the City Government of Bacolod. Along with the Governors of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, as mayor of a highly urbanized city, he sits as one of the chief executives of Negros Island.

## History

While Bacolod was first established as a town on January 20, 1755, the capital of Negros Island in 1846 and the capital of Negros Occidental in 1890, the archives of the City Government of Bacolod lists Bernardino de los Santos as Gobernadorcillo upon the establishment of Bacolod as the capital of Negros Occidental after the division of the island, while Gregorio Gonzaga as the recorded Presidente Municipal in 1894. Bacolod, being a pueblo and municipality then, was composed of a municipal council headed by a president. The Presidente Municipal may opt to be assisted by deputies normally called Tiniente Mayor.
As the Province of Negros Occidental grew in importance due to the sugar industry, Bacolod became a hub for business and politics, drawing more immigrant families into the city. Along with nearby Silay, population swelled due to economic and work opportunities, including education and the Sugar Exchange Center located near the town plaza.

### Cityhood

Through Commonwealth Act No. 326, sponsored by Representative Pedro C. Hernaez of the Second District of Negros Occidental, Bacolod was chartered as a city on June 18, 1938. Alfredo Montelíbano, Sr. became the first city mayor upon his inauguration on October 18, 1938, along with the formal inauguration of the City Government of Bacolod. On the City Plaza still stands the tindalo tree planted by President Manuel Quezon as a reminder of the inauguration ceremonies.

### As a highly urbanized city

Batas Pambansa Blg. 51 elevated the status of the city further as a highly urbanized city on December 22, 1979. Due to this, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental ceased to have control over Bacolod. It received funding directly from the national allocation, but meant that the citizens of Bacolod cannot vote for the officials of the Provincial Government nor run for elective provincial posts.
The last city official to have become won a post in the province was former Governor Alfredo Montelibano, Jr. After the promulgation of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Bacolod City was given its own representation in Congress as the Lone District of Bacolod.

## List

| No. | Name | Term | Title (Mayor) | Deputy | Title (Deputy) |
| 1 | Bernardino delos Santos | 1890–1894 | Gobernadorcillo | (None) | Next lower post: Cabeza de Barangay |
| 2 | Gregorio Gonzaga | 1894–1895 | Presidente Municipal | Manual Fernandez | Teniente Mayor |
| 3 | Isabelo Labarro | 1895–1896 | Presidente Municipal | Leoncio Garrucho | Teniente Mayor |
| 4 | Fausto Gonzaga | 1896–1897 | Presidente Municipal | Pio Arcea | Teniente Mayor |
| 5 | Manuel Fernandez | 1897–1898 | Presidente Municipal | Faustino Velez | Teniente Mayor |
| 6 | Basiliso Villanueva | 1898–1899 | Presidente Municipal | Francisco Agravante | Secretario Municipal |
| 7 | Jose Gonzaga | 1899–1903 | Presidente Municipal | Timoteo Manalo | Secretario Municipal |
| 8 | Jo. V.L. Gonzaga | 1903–1906 | Presidente Municipal | Francisco Agravante | Secretario Municipal |
| 9 | Mario Ramos | 1906–1909 | Presidente Municipal | Manuel Fernandez | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 10 | Esteban Guanzon | 1909–1912 | Presidente Municipal | Domiciano Gonzaga | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 11 | Olimpio San Jose | 1912–1913 | Presidente Interim | V. D. Aragon | Secretario Municipal |
| 12 | Esteban Henares | 1913–1916 | Presidente Municipal | Olimpio San Jose | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 13 | Crispino Ramos | 1917–1919 | Presidente Municipal | Timoteo Manalo | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 14 | Olimpio de la Rama | 1919–1922 | Presidente Municipal | Generoso Villanueva | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 15 | Jose Ramos | 1922–1925 | Presidente Municipal | Dionisio Gonzaga | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 16 | Domingo Vallesteros | 1925–1931 | Presidente Municipal | Augusto R. Villarosa (first) Hilarion Gonzaga (second) | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 17 | Felipe Arroyo | 1931–1934 | Presidente Municipal | Dominador Vallesteros | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 18 | Pablo D. Makilan | 1934–1937 | Presidente Municipal | Cirilo Ciocon | Vice Presidente Municipal |
| 19 | Fernando M. Cuadra | 1938 | Alcalde Municipal (Interim City Mayor) | Jose M. Millarez | Vice Alcalde |
| 20 | Alfredo Montelibano Sr. | 1938 – 1940 | City Mayor | Jose M. Millarez | Vice Mayor |
| 21 | Alfredo Yulo | 1940 – 1942 | City Mayor | Aurelio L. Locsin | Vice Mayor |
| – | Augusto R. Villarosa | 1942 – 1945 | Acting Mayor | – | – |
| 22 | Felix Querubin | 1945 | City Mayor | – | Vice Mayor |
| 23 | Aurelio L. Locsin | 1945 | City Mayor | Juan D. Ta-ala | Vice Mayor |
| 24 | Nicolasa de la Peña | 1946 | City Mayor | – | Vice Mayor |
| 25 | Vicente T. Remitio | 1946 – 1948 | City Mayor | Mario S. Villanueva | Vice Mayor |
| 26 | Mario S. Villanueva | 1948 – 1951 | City Mayor | Sixto Castillo | Vice Mayor |
| 27 | Felix Amante | 1951 – 1955 | City Mayor | Manuel Villanueva | Vice Mayor |
| – | Manuel Villanueva | 1954 – 1955 | City Mayor (Acting) | – | Vice Mayor |
| – | Jose V. Coruña | 1954 | City Mayor (Acting) | – | Vice Mayor |
| 28 | Teofisto Cordova | 1956 – 1963 | City Mayor | Gloria Esteban (first)Romeo Guanzon (Second) | Vice Mayor |
| 29 | Romeo Guanzon | 1964 – 1971 | City Mayor | Inoncencio Lucasan (first) Jovito Sayson (Second) | Vice Mayor |
| 30 | Carlos Benares | 1972 – 1976 | City Mayor | Raymundo Dizon Jr. | Vice Mayor |
| 31 | Raymundo Dizon Jr. | 1976 – 1980 | City Mayor | Inocencio Lucasan | Vice Mayor |
| 32 | Jose Montalvo Jr. | 1980 – 1986 | City Mayor | Jose Las Piñas | Vice Mayor |
| 33 | Amado Parreño Jr. | 1986 – 1987 | OIC-City Mayor | Juan Ramon Guanzon | OIC-Vice Mayor |
| 34 | Napoleon Gonzaga | 1987–1988 | City Mayor | Reynalda Sayson | Vice Mayor |
| 35 | Alfredo Montelibano Jr. | February 2, 1988 – March 1995 | City Mayor | Kenneth Barredo (1988–1992) Evelio Leonardia (1992–1995) | Vice Mayor |
| – | Alfredo Jalbuena Jr. | March 1995 – May 1995 | City Mayor (Acting) | Rolando V. Villamor | Vice Mayor (Acting) |
| – | Rolando V. Villamor | May 1995 – June 30, 1995 | City Mayor (Acting) | – | – |
| 36 | Evelio Leonardia | June 30, 1995 – June 30, 1998 | City Mayor | Wilmar Drilon | Vice Mayor |
| 37 | Oscar Verdeflor | July 1, 1998 – March 13, 2001 | City Mayor | Luzviminda Valdez | Vice Mayor |
| 38 | Luzviminda Valdez | March 13, 2001 – June 30, 2004 | City Mayor | Ramiro Garcia Jr. | Vice Mayor |
| 39 | Evelio Leonardia | June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2013 | City Mayor | Renecito Novero (2004–2007) Jude Thaddeus Sayson (2007–2013) | Vice Mayor |
| 40 | Monico Puentevella | June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2016 | City Mayor | Greg Gasataya | Vice Mayor |
| – | Greg Gasataya | November 2015 – February 2016 | City Mayor (Acting) | El Cid Familiaran | Vice Mayor (Acting) |
| 41 | Evelio Leonardia | June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022 | City Mayor | El Cid Familiaran | Vice Mayor |
| 42 | Alfredo Benitez | June 30, 2022 – Present | City Mayor | El Cid Familiaran | Vice Mayor |