Visayas

TheVisayas(/vɪˈsaɪəz/viss-EYE-əz), or theVisayan Islands(Visayan:Kabisay-an,locally[kabiˈsajʔan];Filipino:Kabisayaan[kɐbɪsɐˈjaʔan]), are one of the threeprincipal geographical divisionsof thePhilippines, along withLuzonandMindanao. Located in the central part of thearchipelago, it consists of several islands, primarily surrounding theVisayan Sea, although the Visayas are also considered the northeast extremity of the entireSulu Sea.Its inhabitants are predominantly theVisayan peoples.
The major islands of the Visayas arePanay,Negros,Cebu,Bohol,LeyteandSamar.The region may also include the provinces ofPalawan,Romblon, andMasbate, whose populations identify as Visayan and whose languages are more closely related to other Visayan languages than to the major languages ofLuzon.
There are four administrativeregionsin the Visayas:Western Visayas(pop. 4.73 million),Negros Island Region(pop. 4.76 million),Central Visayas(6.54 million) andEastern Visayas(4.5 million).
The exact meaning and origin of the name of the Visayas is unknown. The first documented use of the name is possibly by Song-era Chinese maritime officialZhao Ruguaas thePi-sho-ye, who raided the coasts ofFujianandPenghuduring the late 12th century using iron javelins attached to ropes as their weapons.
Visayans were first referred to by the general termPintados("the painted ones") by the Spanish, in reference to the prominent practice of full-body tattooing (batok).The word "Bisaya", on the other hand, was first documented inSpanishsources in reference to the non-Atiinhabitants of the island ofPanay. However, it is likely that the name was already used as a generalendonymbyVisayanslong before Spanish colonization, as evidenced by at least once instance of a place named "Bisaya" in coastal eastern Mindanao as reported by theLoaisa(c.1526),Saavedra(c.1528), and theVillalobos(c.1543) expeditions. It is likely that the reason the Spanish did not use the term generally until the later decades of the 1500s is due to the fact that people were more likely to identify themselves with more specific ethnic names likeSugbuanon.
InSucesos de las Islas Filipinas(1609) byAntonio de Morga, he specifies that the name "Biçaya" is synonymous withPintados.
From the 1950s to 1960s there were spurious claims by various authors that "Bisaya" is derived from the historical empire of "Sri Vijaya" which came from theSanskritterm "Śrīvijaya" (श्रीविजय), arguing that the Visayans were either settlers fromSri Vijayaor were subjects of it. This claim is largely based only on the resemblance of the wordBisayatoVijaya.But as the linguist Eugene Verstraelen pointed out,Vijayawould evolve intoBidayaorBiraya, notBisaya, based on how otherSanskrit-derivedloanwordsbecome integrated into Philippine languages.
The name has also been hypothesized to be related to theBisayaethnic group ofBorneo, the latter incidentally recounted in the controversialMaragtasepic as the alleged origins of the ancestral settlers in Panay. However historical, archeological, and linguistic evidence for this are still paltry. The languages of the Bisaya of Borneo and of the Bisaya of the Philippines do not show any special correlation, apart from the fact that they all belong to the sameAustronesian family. Similarly there are claims that it was the name of a folk hero (allegedly "Sri Visaya") or that it originated from the exclamation "Bisai-yah!" ("How beautiful!") by the Sultan of Brunei who was visiting Visayas for the first time. All these claims have been challenged and remain as mere speculations andfolk etymologies.
After the defeat of theMagellanexpedition at theBattle of MactanbyLapu-Lapu, KingPhilip II of SpainsentMiguel López de Legazpiin 1543 and 1565 to colonize the islands for Spain. Subsequently, the Visayas region and many kingdoms began converting to Christianity and adopting western culture. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the effects of colonization on various ethnic groups turned sour and revolutions such as those ofFrancisco Dagohoybegan to emerge.
Various personalities who fought against the Spanish colonial government arose within the archipelago. Among the notable ones areTeresa Magbanua,Graciano Lopez JaenaandMartin DelgadofromIloilo,Aniceto Lacson,León Kilatand Diego de la Viña fromNegros, Venancio Jakosalem Fernandez fromCebu,and two personalities fromBoholby the name ofTamblot, who led theTamblot Uprisingin 1621 to 1622 andFrancisco Dagohoy, the leader of the Bohol Rebellion that lasted from 1744 to 1829.Negros briefly stood as an independent nation in the Visayas in the form of the CantonalRepublic of Negros, before it was absorbed back to the Philippines because of the American takeover of the archipelago.
The short-livedFederal State of the Visayaswas established as a revolutionary state during the Philippine Revolution. It designatedIloilo Cityas the Visayas capital and was composed of three governments: the Provisional Government of the District of Visayas (Panay), theCantonal Government of Negros, the Cantonal Government of Bohol, and the island of Cebu, which was under revolutionary control.
On May 23, 2005,Palawan(including its highly urbanized capital city ofPuerto Princesa) was transferred from Mimaropa (Region IV-B) to Western Visayas (Region VI) underExecutive Order No. 429, signed byGloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was thepresidentat that year.However, Palaweños criticized the move, citing a lack of consultation, with most residents in Puerto Princesa and all Palawan municipalities but one, preferring to stay in Mimaropa (Region IV-B). Consequently,Administrative Order No. 129was issued on August 19, 2005, that the implementation ofE.O. 429be held in abeyance, pending approval by the president of its Implementation Plan.The PhilippineCommission on Electionsreported the2010 Philippine general electionresults for Palawan as a part of the Region IV-B results.As of 30 June 2011, the abeyance was still in effect, with Palawan and its capital city remaining underMimaropa(Region IV-B).
On May 29, 2015, the twin provinces ofNegros Occidental(including its highly urbanized capital city,Bacolod) andNegros Orientalwere joined to form theNegros Island RegionunderExecutive Order No. 183, signed byPresidentBenigno Aquino III. It separated both, the former province and its capital city fromWestern Visayasand the latter province fromCentral Visayas.
On August 9, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signedExecutive Order No. 38, revoking theExecutive Order No. 183signed by his predecessor, President Benigno Aquino III, on May 29, 2015, due to the reason of the lack of funds to fully establish the NIR according toBenjamin Diokno, theSecretary of Budget and Management.
On June 13, 2024, the Negros Island Region was re-established, with the inclusion ofSiquijor.
Historical documents written in 1907 by Visayan historian Pedro Alcántara Monteclaro in his bookMaragtastell the story of the ten leaders (Datus) who escaped from the tyranny of Rajah Makatunaw from Borneo and came to the islands of Panay. The chiefs and followers were said to be the ancestors (from the collapsing empires of Srivijaya and Majapahit) of theVisayan people. The documents were accepted by Filipino historians and found their way into the history of the Philippines. As a result, the arrival of Bornean tribal groups in the Visayas (From Vijayapura aSrivijayanvassal state in Borneo)is celebrated in the festivals of theDinagyanginIloilo City,Ati-AtihaninKalibo,Aklan, andBinirayaninSan Jose de Buenavista,Antique. Foreign historians such asWilliam Henry Scottmaintains that the book contains a Visayan folk tradition.
A contemporary theory based on a study ofgenetic markersin present-day populations is thatAustronesian peoplesfrom Taiwan populated the larger island of Luzon and headed south to the Visayas and Mindanao, and then to Indonesia and Malaysia, then toPacific Islandsand finally to the island of Madagascar, at the west of theIndian Ocean.The study, though, may not explain inter-island migrations, which are also possible, such as Filipinos migrating to any other Philippine provinces. There has even been backmigration to the island of Taiwan, as the historian Efren B. Isorena, through analysis of historical accounts and wind currents in the Pacific side of East and Southeast Asia, concluded that the Pisheye of Taiwan and the Bisaya of the Visayas islands in the Philippines, were closely related people as Visayans were recorded to have travelled to Taiwan from the Philippines via the northward windcurrents before they raided China and returned south after the southwards monsoon during summer.
Visayas region is located in centralPhilippines, with a total land area of 71,503 km(27,607 sq mi). It consists of seven large and several hundred smaller islands, includingSamar,Negros,Panay,Leyte,Cebu,Bohol,Guimaras,Biliran,Siquijor,PanaonandBantayan. Some of the largest cities in the region includeCebu City(population 1,024,945 in 2023),Bacolod City(population 648,773 in 2023), andIloilo City(population 491,641 in 2023).
The following numbers are derived from the 2015 Philippine census.
Visayansare recognized as hospitable, religious, fun, and robust people. They love to party and celebrate birthdays, graduation, baptism, weddings, and holidays.Visayanslike to sing (Karaoke) while drinking and dancing during this celebration. They love to cook traditional foods likeSuman,Sapin- Sapin, andBibingkamade with sticky rice during Halloween. They visited their dead loved ones at the cemetery. Aside from celebrations, Visayas has sweet and delicious mangoes that you can find inGuimarasnearIloilo City. White Beach Resort is calledBoracay. It is a well-known beautiful beach located inWestern VisayasatCaticlanProvince. Many foreign people love to visit this beach, which is full of fun summer activities and beachside restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. You can also find the Seafood Capital of thePhilippines, located atRoxas, CityProvince ofCapiz. You can taste fresh seafood daily, like shrimp, crabs, prawns, seashells, and fish.
Visayanshonor their traditions and culture by celebrating festivals as they are known to be Roman Catholic or Christianity in religion. These festivals are celebrated in tribute to their saints, to share peace and happiness, to give thanks for the abundant harvest, and to advertise their products.Visayansare  known for their different festivals celebrated in other cities of Visayan Island.
Sinulog Festivalis celebrated every third Sunday in January inCebu City. This festival is a tribute to their saint,Senior Santo Nino de Cebu.The Sinulog festival includes parades, fluvial processions, dances, Cebu beauty pageants, and sometimes arts contests. Some other parts ofCebuprovinces participated in the celebration by performing traditional dances and decorating a float, or Higantes, to represent their patron.
Ati-Atihan Festivalis celebrated every third Sunday in January, likeSinulog Festival. It is held inKalibo, Aklan, onPanay Island, where the firstindigenous peoplesettled, calledAestas, orAti's. This festival devotes to the mystery of baby Jesus and Indigenous people. The people who participated painted their bodies and face and wore indigenous costumes and props. This festival plays music, drums, and parades for several days.
Dinagyang Festivalis celebrated inIloilo Cityon the fourth Sunday of January.  This festival marked the baby Jesus Senior Sto. Nino. AtAti-Atihan FestivalinAklan,Dinagyangalso hasAti'sdancing to celebrate the entry ofMalayinPanay Island, colorful costumes, and a Pageant forMiss Iloilo; Sadsad is a procession with a decorated float. Schools and businesses inBarangaysin this city participate in dancing competitions at this festival.
Administratively, the Visayas is divided into 4regions, namelyWestern Visayas,Negros Island Region,Central Visayas, andEastern Visayas.
The Visayas is composed of 16provinces, each headed by a Governor. A governor is elected by popular vote and can serve a maximum of three terms consisting of three years each.
Western Visayas consists of the islands ofPanayand Guimaras. The regional center isIloilo City. Its provinces are:
Negros Island Region consists of the islands ofNegrosand Siquijor. The interim regional centers areBacolodandDumaguete. Its provinces are:
Central Visayas includes the islands ofCebuand Bohol. The regional center isCebu City. Its provinces are:
Eastern Visayas consists of the islands ofLeyte,Samarand Biliran. The regional center isTacloban City. Its provinces are:
Scholars have argued that the region ofMimaropaand the province ofMasbateare all part of the Visayas in line with the non-centric view. This is contested by a few politicians in line with the Manila-centric view.
Languages spoken at home are primarilyVisayan languagesdespite the usual misconception that these are dialects of a single macrolanguage.Cebuanois the largest native language spoken on Visayas Island, where approximately 20 million natives speak it.Major languages includeHiligaynon or Ilonggoin Western Visayas,Cebuanoin Central Visayas, andWarayin Eastern Visayas. Other dominant languages areAklanon,Kinaray-a, andCapiznon.Filipino, the 'national language' based onTagalog, is widely understood but occasionally used. English, another official language, is more widely known and is preferred as the second language most especially among urbanized Visayans. For instance, English rather than Tagalog is frequently used in schools, public signs, and mass media.
There has been ongoing contention regarding the use of the wordBisayaamong speakers of Visayan languages. The termBisayabroadly refers to the people of the Visayas region in the Philippines, as well as those who have migrated to other parts of the country, including Luzon and Mindanao. The Visayas region encompasses several ethnolinguistic groups and languages, includingHiligaynon,Cebuano,Waray, and others, which are distinct and not mutually intelligible, despite belonging to the same language family.
Over the years,Bisayahas often been used interchangeably with Cebuano in many parts of the country,though this practice is context-dependent and varies across regions. Cebuano-speaking settlers in Mindanao and other areas outside Cebu frequently refer to themselves and their language as Bisaya to distinguish themselves from the people of Cebu and their dialect. To address this ambiguity, some propose using the termSinugbuanong Binisaya(which has been the term used in basic education)to specify Cebuano, while others suggestBinisayaas a broader term. Surveys, such as those conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA),often separate Bisaya and Cebuano, despite the two being mutually intelligible. Ethnologue, however, only lists Cebuano as a language.In Western Visayas,Bisayamay refer to Hiligaynon or Kinaray-a speakers, whereas in Eastern Visayas, it may denote Waray speakers.
In Mindanao, migrant ethnic groups from Luzon and indigenous peoples have assimilated into predominantly Cebuano-speaking societies (or Hiligaynon-speaking communities in the case of Soccsksargen) over the years. Many of these individuals now identify as Visayans after learning Cebuano, though they often retain knowledge of their non-Visayan roots and may still speak their ancestral languages fluently as a second or third language.
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