For a short vacation, we went to the municipality of Binalbagan in Negros Occidental. Binalbagan, originally called Inabagan or “The Haven of Refuge,” is one of the oldest towns in Western Visayas, founded in 1572 along with Oton. Binalbagan even holds the title Banwang Panganay (eldest town). Initially inhabited by Negritos and later by Malays from the ten Bornean Datus, the town became a major Spanish encomienda in 1571.

The name Binalbagan is attributed to two stories: one about shrimp traders using mangrove bark (balbag) as a preservative, and another about a giant snake blocking the river. Both tales reflect the town’s historical and cultural heritage.