# Isabela, Negros Occidental

Isabela, officially the Municipality of Isabela, is a municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,516 people.
Isabela is known for BISCOM (Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company) located in nearby Binalbagan town.

## History

In 1951, the barrios of Magallon, Odiong, and Guinpanaan were separated from Isabela and formed into the town of Magallon (now Moises Padilla).

## Geography

Isabela is 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Bacolod (via La Castellana) or 71 kilometres (44 mi) (via Hinigaran), 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Guihulngan, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Binalbagan, and 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Hinigaran.

### Barangays

Isabela is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
* Amin
* Banogbanog
* Bulad
* Bungahin
* Cabcab
* Camangcamang
* Camp Clark
* Cansalongon
* Guintubhan
* Libas
* Limalima
* Makilignit
* Mansablay
* Maytubig
* Panaquiao
* Barangay 1 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 2 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 3 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 4 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 5 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 6 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 7 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 8 (Poblacion)
* Barangay 9 (Poblacion)
* Riverside
* Rumirang
* San Agustin
* Sebucawan
* Sikatuna
* Tinongan

### Climate

Climate data for Isabela, Negros Occidental :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 32 (90) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (87) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (74) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 38 (1.5) | 29 (1.1) | 55 (2.2) | 65 (2.6) | 141 (5.6) | 210 (8.3) | 212 (8.3) | 176 (6.9) | 180 (7.1) | 180 (7.1) | 130 (5.1) | 70 (2.8) | 1,486 (58.6) |
| Average rainy days | 9.0 | 7.2 | 11.1 | 13.5 | 25.6 | 28.4 | 28.9 | 27.3 | 26.9 | 27.7 | 21.8 | 13.8 | 241.2 |
| Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1903 | 12,836 | — |
| 1918 | 19,653 | +2.88% |
| 1939 | 43,509 | +3.86% |
| 1948 | 33,743 | −2.78% |
| 1960 | 29,769 | −1.04% |
| 1970 | 33,636 | +1.23% |
| 1975 | 37,400 | +2.15% |
| 1980 | 39,704 | +1.20% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1990 | 47,010 | +1.70% |
| 1995 | 49,019 | +0.79% |
| 2000 | 48,719 | −0.13% |
| 2007 | 58,819 | +2.63% |
| 2010 | 59,523 | +0.43% |
| 2015 | 62,146 | +0.82% |
| 2020 | 64,516 | +0.74% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority :

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Isabela
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 60
* 2000 59.48
* 2003 43.56
* 2006 36.10
* 2009 33.84
* 2012 27.30
* 2015 26.84
* 2018 28.00
* 2021 23.96
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

## Festival

"Tigkalagkalag" is celebrated on the evening of Nov. 2 every year in the town of Isabela. The Pana-ad victory of Tigkalagkalag (Kalag-Kalag) festival is expected to boost the attraction of this unique festival that began in Purok Manacup beside the public cemetery in Isabela town where people would have fun during the night of All Souls Day that was capped with a beauty pageant called Search for the White Lady, this is the same of San Juan Balete Drive {Lost Soul}. It spun off into the municipal festival under former Mayor Renato Malabor, when the town was searching for a festival that was going to be its tourism plank.
Tigkalalag festival of Isabela turned what otherwise are morbid concepts of coffins, candelabras and crashing tombs into a whimsical, tightly designed, skillfully-choreographed presentation that sent it howling to success in yearly competition of all the festivals of Negros Occidental. Tigkalalag is Hiligaynon for All Souls' Day.

## Notable personalities

* Lt. Cesar Basa, World War II pilot and hero. First Filipino aviator killed during aerial combat.
* Allan K., actor-comedian/TV host/entrepreneur