# Governor of Negros Oriental

The Governor of Negros Oriental is the local chief executive and head of the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental. Along with the Governor of Negros Occidental and the Mayor of the highly urbanized city of Bacolod, he sits as one of the chief executives of Negros Island.

## Formation

Before independence, the position had been occupied by appointed Spanish military commanders that also serve the role of Governor since the transfer of the capital to Bacolod in 1849. Previously, the local chief executive post was vested on the "Corregidor," or the commander of the military outpost, in the two previous capitals of Ilog, Negros Occidental and Himamaylan. When the island was divided into two provinces, the Military Governor designated Dumaguete as the provincial capital.
After the Negros Revolution, all provincial authority divested on the Office of the President and Vice President, representing Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. Americans occupied the fledgling republic and requested the provisional government to conduct an island-wide election for the gubernatorial post. Melecio Severino of Silay emerged as the first elected governor for the whole island. But upon the dissolution of the republic, Demetrio Larena, the former Vice-President of the Republic of Negros was appointed Governor.

## Duties and related offices

By the convention set for the newly created Negros Island Region, the Governor of Negros Oriental sits as chairperson of one of the two regional councils, namely the Regional Development Council and the Regional Peace and Order Council.

## List of governors
### Spanish governors of Negros province

From the formal establishment of the military outpost in the pueblo of Ilog until the promulgation of a royal decree dividing the island into Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental on October 25, 1889, Negros Island was governed as a single province starting from being under the jurisdiction of Oton, Iloilo until it established its capitals in Ilog (1734), Himamaylan (1795) and Bacolod (1849).
| Order | Name | Year in office | Title | Capital | Governor-General |
| 1 | Pedro de Alcaraz | 1625-1627 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Fernándo de Silva |
| 2 | Jerónimo Venegas | 1627-1629 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Juan Niño de Tabora |
| 3 | Juan de León | 1629-1631 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Juan Niño de Tabora |
| -- | -- | 1631-1652 | Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Juan Niño de Tabora Lorenzo de Olaza Juan Cerezo de Salamanca Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera Diego Fajardo Chacón |
| 4 | Juan Ferrer | 1652-1666 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Diego Fajardo Chacón Sabiniano Manrique de Lara Diego de Salcedo |
| 5 | Pedro de Tortosa | 1666-1668 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Diego de Salcedo |
| 6 | Jacinto Rivera | 1668-1669 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Juan Manuel de la Peña Bonifaz |
| 7 | Nicolas Jurado | 1669-1671 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Manuel de León |
| 8 | Agustin Martínez | 1671-1673 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Manuel de León |
| -- | -- | 1673-1699 | Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Manuel de León Francisco Coloma Francisco Sotomayor y Mansilla Juan de Vargas y Hurtado Gabriel de Curuzealegui y Arriola Alonso de Avila Fuertes Fausto Cruzat y Gongora |
| 9 | Francisco Tabares | 1699-1701 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Fausto Cruzat y Gongora |
| 10 | Ramon Díaz Ruizbobo | 1701-1703 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Domingo Zabálburu de Echevarri |
| 11 | Felix de Cabrera | 1703-1705 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Domingo Zabálburu de Echevarri |
| -- | -- | 1705-1709 | Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Domingo Zabálburu de Echevarri |
| 12 | Francisco de Figueroa | 1709-1711 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi |
| 13 | Bartolome Gallardo | 1711-1714 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi |
| 14 | Ricardo Ricarte | 1714- 1716 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi José Torralba |
| 15 | Juan Bautista de Sameta | 1716-1718 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda |
| -- | -- | 1718-1719 | Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda |
| 16 | Fernando de Rojas y Mendoza | 1719-1721 | Corregidor | Ilog (de facto) Administered from Arevalo | Francisco de la Cuesta |
| 17 | -- | 1721-1779 | Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo | Ilog (de jure) Administered from Arevalo | Francisco de la Cuesta Toribio José Cosio y Campo Fernándo Valdés y Tamon Gaspar de la Torre Juan Arrechederra Francisco José de Ovando Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta Manuel Rojo del Río y Vieyra Simón de Anda y Salazar(first) Dawsonne Drake (British Occupation) Francisco Javier de la Torre José Antonio Raón y Gutiérrez Simón de Anda y Salazar(second) Pedro de Sarrio José Basco y Vargas |
| 18 | Felipe de Zúñiga | 1779-1785 (first) 1789-1790 (second) | Corregidor | Ilog | José Basco y Vargas |
| 19 | Mariano Escote | 1785-1787 | Corregidor | Ilog | José Basco y Vargas |
| 20 | Vicente Escote | 1787-1789 | Corregidor | Ilog | Pedro de Sarrio Félix Berenguer de Marquina |
| 22 | Jose de Arriola | 1790- 1793 | Corregidor | Ilog | Félix Berenguer de Marquina |
| 23 | Ramón de Zúñiga | 1793-1799 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León |
| 24 | Jose Casteu | 1799-1803 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León |
| 25 | Simón Matías de Rojas | 1803-1806 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León |
| 26 | Carlos Casares | 1806-1810 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Mariano Fernández de Folgueras |
| 27 | Ciriaco Lladoc | 1810-1814 (first) 1818-1821 (second) | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Manuel Gonzalez de Aguilar(first) Mariano Fernández de Folgueras(second) |
| 28 | Jose Maria de Torres | 1814-1818 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | José Gardoqui Jaraveitia |
| 30 | Fernando Cuervo | 1821-1824 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Mariano Fernández de Folgueras Juan Antonio Martínez |
| 31 | Camilo Peña García | 1824-1827 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Juan Antonio Martínez Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca |
| -- | -- | 1827-1829 | Direct administration by the Spanish Governor of Iloilo | Himamaylan | Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca |
| 32 | Juan de Córdova | 1829-1833 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca Pasqual Enrile y Alcedo |
| 33 | Luis Villasís | 1833-1839 | Corregidor | Himamaylan | Pasqual Enrile y Alcedo Gabriel de Torres Joaquín de Crámer Pedro Antonio Salazar Castillo y Varona Andrés García Camba Luis Lardizábal |
| 34 | Mariano Valero Soto | 1839- 1842 | Alcalde Mayor | Himamaylan | Luis Lardizábal Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri |
| 35 | Jose Sáenz de Vizmanos | 1842- 1848 | Alcalde Mayor | Himamaylan | Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri Francisco de Paula Alcalá de la Torre Narciso Clavería |
| 36 | Manuel Valdivieso Morquecho | 1848-1854 | Alcalde Mayor | Bacolod | Narciso Clavería Antonio María Blanco Antonio de Urbistondo y Eguía Ramón Montero y Blandino Manuel Pavía Ramón Montero y Blandino Manuel Crespo y Cebrían |
| 37 | José Luis Ceacero Inguanzo | 1854-1855 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Manuel Crespo y Cebrían Ramón Montero y Blandino |
| 38 | Emilio Saravia | 1855-1857 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Manuel Crespo y Cebrían Ramón Montero y Blandino |
| 39 | Pedro de Beaumont | 1857-1860 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero |
| 40 | Beremundo Aranda | 1860-1864 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Ramón María Solano y Llanderal Juan Herrera Dávila José Lemery e Ibarrola Ney y González Salvador Valdés Rafaél de Echagüe y Bermingham |
| 41 | Jose de Cramé | 1864-1865 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Rafaél de Echagüe y Bermingham |
| 42 | Joaquin Vidal | 1865- 1866 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez (first) Juan de Lara e Irigoyen |
| 43 | Juan Gil Montes | 1866-1867 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | José Laureano de Sanz y Posse Juan Antonio Osorio Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez(second) José de la Gándara y Navarro |
| 44 | Antonio Vázquez Cuenca | 1867 | Gobernador Politico-Militar (Interim) | Bacolod | José de la Gándara y Navarro |
| 45 | Eugenio Serrano | 1867-1868 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | José de la Gándara y Navarro |
| 46 | Enrique Fajardo | 1868-1869 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | José de la Gándara y Navarro |
| 47 | Francisco Jáudenes | 1869- 1871 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Manuel Maldonado (Republican Governor General) Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada (Republican Governor General) |
| 48 | Domingo García | 1871-1873 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutíerrez |
| 49 | Miguel Masgrao | 1873 | Gobernador Politico-Militar (Interim) | Bacolod | Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutíerrez |
| 50 | Federico Lemeyer | 1873-1875 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Juan Alaminos y Vivar Manuel Blanco Valderrama José Malcampo y Monje |
| 51 | Román Pastor | 1875-1877 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | José Malcampo y Monje |
| 52 | Juan Blake | 1877-1878 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Domingo Moriones y Murillo |
| 53 | Ramon Estevánez | 1878-1883 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Domingo Moriones y Murillo Rafael Rodríguez Arias Fernando Primo de Rivera |
| 54 | Eduardo Subinza | 1883-1885 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Emilio Molíns Joaquín Jovellar |
| 55 | Antonio Tovar y Marcoleta, comandante de infantería | 1885-1889 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Emilio Terrero y Perinat |
| 56 | Fernando Giralt | 1889-1890 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Bacolod | Emilio Terrero y Perinat Antonio Moltó Federico Lobatón Valeriano Wéyler |

### Spanish governors of Negros Oriental

Governor General Valeriano Wéyler promulgated a royal decree in October 25, 1889, which divided the island into two provinces, namely Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, upon the request of the 13 Augustinian Recollect friars administering the towns east of the island. Bacolod was retained as the capital of Negros Occidental.
| Order | Name | Year in office | Title | Capital | Governor-General |
| 1 (57) | Joaquin Pardo de Tavera | 1890-1891 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | Valeriano Wéyler |
| 2 (58) | Luis de la Torre | 1891-1892 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | Eulogio Despujol |
| 3 (59) | T. Gutiérrez de la Vega | 1892-1892 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | Eulogio Despujol |
| 4 (60) | Victor Espada | 1892-1894 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | Eulogio Despujol Federico Ochando Ramón Blanco, 1st Marquis of Peña Plata |
| 5 (61) | Adolfo Asuncion | 1894-1895 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | Ramón Blanco, 1st Marquis of Peña Plata Camilo de Polavieja |
| 6 (62) | Emilio Regaler | 1895-1897 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | José de Lachambre Fernando Primo de Rivera |
| 7 (63) | Antonio Ferrer | 1897-1898 | Gobernador Politico-Militar | Dumaguete | Fernando Primo de Rivera Basilio Augustín Fermín Jáudenes Francisco Rizzo Diego de los Ríos |

### Revolutionary government

Negros Island was briefly unified temporarily upon the assumption of the Revolutionary Government in Bacolod. An election for separate provincial officials was planned but not implemented until 1901, under the American protectorate period of the Republic of Negros.
| Order | Name | Year in office | Title | Capital | President |
| 1 | General Juan Araneta | November 6, 1898 – November 27, 1898 | Gobernador Militar (Acting, as Secretary of War) | Bacolod | General Aniceto Lacson |
| 2 | Simeon Lizares | November 27, 1898 – December 1, 1899 | Gobernador Civil (Acting, as Secretary of the Interior) | Bacolod | General Aniceto Lacson |
| 3 (64) | Melecio Severino | December 1, 1899 – April 30, 1901 | Governor-General of Negros Island | Bacolod | General Aniceto Lacson |

### Philippine governors

This list includes governors appointed or elected since the end of Spanish rule, the recognized start of the institutional office.
| Order | Name | Year in office | Era |
| 1 (65) | Demetrio Larena de Sandes | 1901-1906 | American Occupation, appointed |
| 2 (66) | Hermenegildo Villanueva y Teves | 1907-1911 | American Occupation |
| 3 (67) | Juan Montenegro y Trasmonte | 1911-1912 | American Occupation |
| 4 (68) | Felipe Tay-ko | 1912-1916 | American Occupation |
| 5 (69) | Enrique Cayetano Villanueva y Teves | 1916-1925 | American Occupation |
| 6 (70) | José Benito Atilano Joaquín Villegas y Teves | 1925-1931 | American Occupation |
| 7 (71) | Hermenegildo Villanueva y Teves | 1931-1935 | American Occupation |
| 8 (72) | Julian Manuel Teves y Lajato | 1935-1941 | Commonwealth Government |
| 9 (73) | Guillermo Zósimo Villanueva y Teves | 1941-1945 | Japanese Occupation (later executed) |
| 10 (74) | Alfredo Montelibano, Sr. | 1942-1945 | Commonwealth Government (In Exile) (as Military Governor of Negros and Siquijor Islands) |
| 11 (75) | Lorenzo G. Teves | 1944-1945 | Commonwealth Government (as Military Governor) |
| 12 (76) | Alberto Furbeyre y Villachica | 1945-1946 | Commonwealth Government |
| 13 (77) | Práxedes Villanueva y Teves | 1946-1951 | Third Republic |
| 14 (78) | Pedro Bandoquillo | 1951-1955 | Third Republic |
| 15 (79) | Serafin Miguel Teves y Lajato | 1956-1959 | Third Republic |
| 16 (80) | Mariano Francisco Perdices y Bernad, KSS | 1959-1972 | Third Republic |
| 17 (81) | William V. Villegas | 1972-1978 | Fourth Republic |
| 18 (82) | Lorenzo G. Teves | 1978-1986 | Fourth Republic Fifth Republic |
| – | Herminio G. Teves (officer in charge, EDSA Pioneers) | 1986-1987 | Fifth Republic |
| 19 (83) | Emilio C. Macias II | 1987–1998 | Fifth Republic |
| 20 (84) | George P. Arnáiz | 1998–2007 | Fifth Republic |
| 21 (85) | Emilio C. Macías II | June 30, 2007 – June 13, 2010 (died in office) | Fifth Republic |
| – | Jose A. Baldado (interim) | June 18, 2010 – June 30, 2010 | Fifth Republic |
| 22 (86) | Agustín Ramón M. Perdices | June 30, 2010 – January 5, 2011 (died in office) | Fifth Republic |
| 23 (87) | Roel R. Degamo | January 5, 2011 – June 30, 2022 | Fifth Republic |
| – | Edward Mark L. Macías (acting) | October 18, 2017 – January 17, 2018 | Fifth Republic |
| 24 (88) | Pryde Henry A. Teves | June 30, 2022 – October 11, 2022 (nullified by the Supreme Court) | Fifth Republic |
| 25 (89) | Roel R. Degamo | October 5, 2022 – March 4, 2023 (assassinated) | Fifth Republic |
| 26 (90) | Carlo Jorge Joan L. Reyes | March 4, 2023 – May 31, 2023 (died in office) | Fifth Republic |
| 27 (91) | Manuel "Chaco" L. Sagarbarria | June 1, 2023 – present | Fifth Republic |