Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Like Silay City

Top Reasons Why You Should Not Like Silay City

If you don’t like culture and traditions stuff, mouth-watering foods, historical and well preserved ancestral houses, and beautiful highland resorts, then I advise you fellas not to visit Silay City because surely you would not like it here. If you’re not planning to attend the Masskara Festival of Bacolod, Mudpack of Municipality of Murcia, and other wonders the Island of Negros might offer, might as well not visit the pristine beauty of Silay- the home of the famous Kansilay Festival. It would be a hassle for you then since the Airport is situated here. To give you more reasons not to stop over and spoil enjoy your vacation, take a glimpse as we enumerate some possible stops you might dare to miss.

1. BALAY NEGRENSE

Balay Negrense will be one of the worst places to visit if you don’t like Historical Houses. As history foretold, it is the home of the late Victor F. Gaston, son of German Gaston (Gaston Yves Leopold Germaine) who was said to have installed the first sugar mill in the City. They’re one of the wealthiest families in Silay during their time. The house is still in its beautiful form even though constructed way back in 1898- supported by the local government in sustaining and preserving its grandeur up to now. The Balay Negrense was so commodious that you could place the whole basketball arena to fit perfectly into its living room. Its classy Garden and perfectly chiseled ventilation panels fastened on the window pane make the house visually pleasing. So, it’s a big NO for you to visit here technically. It is open for guests every Tuesday to Sunday except for Holidays. The entrance fee of Php 50.00

How to get there: Balay Negrense is just a few blocks away from the City Plaza. One can ride a tricycle to go there in approximately 3 minutes. You can go for a walk if you know already where Balay Negrense is situated.

2. SAN DIEGO PRO-CATHEDRAL

Another place to elude if you don’t want your trip to ruin, considering you don’t tend to like Ancestral and Heritage sites. The 89-year-old church was built by the Italian architect in the persona of Lucio Bernasconi way back in 1925. It is the only dome-type church in the region, even in the whole of Panay Island resembling the St. Peter’s Basilica Dome in the homeland of the said Architect. It has been funded by the Sugar Magnate in the name of Don Jose Ledesma in able for the design to be realized. On top of it lies a shining cross, which you can see if you are situated in the Highlands of Patag in Silay as well.

How to get there: the Church is very accessible even for first-timers and tourists since you can locate it beside the National Highway, so you can pass by it when you travel from the Airport. It is in front of the Silay City Plaza by the way.

3. EL IDEAL

You don’t like good food, do you? Then you won’t like it here either, since El Ideal offers only, just ONLY the most delicious pastries and delicacies around the City.

It’s one of the oldest bakeries in the province or probably in the whole region serving delicious foods since the 1920’s. It was previously owned and established by Cesar Lacson Locsin together with his sisters. Later on, he handed his business to his daughter, Alice Locsin-Villanueva. The bakery is very well-known to every Silaynons, even to the tourist who happens to visit the place. Take home some of their delicacies as you take back with you also a piece of Silay’s History.

How to get there: from the Silay City Public Plaza you can go there for a few walks northward, along with the National Highway.

4. BALARING SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

If you don’t like seafood with the ocean breeze, You might want not to dare to try and visit the seafood restaurant of Brgy. Balaring in Silay, because they only offer a broad range of seafood meals at a very reasonable price. You will surely regret also visiting these rays of Seafood restaurants because they’ll give you ONLY the most delicious flavors of Seafood around the City. These restaurants were called the Floating Restaurants. As the water level rises due to High Tide, the pillars are covered by seawater – Making the latter seem to be floating.

How to get there: From the Bacolod Terminal you can drop by Mang Inasal Restaurant, in front of the Baldevia Pension House. From there you’ll need to walk a few steps towards the Balaring Terminal situated beside the Market Place. From there you could just simply tell the driver where your destination is, and they know the drill already.

The authors:  Jessie Bedrio, Sherelyn Escaner, and  Efany Escaner at Ladlad Resort

5. BRGY. PATAG HIGHLAND RESORTS

Lastly, if you don’t like adventure, then I’ll assure you that you won’t like Patag as well because this place’s primary activity was mainly swimming and trekking. So if you don’t want to have an adrenaline rush, do try anything else except for this one. Other tourists are fond of visiting the place for it’s so relaxing and fresh air and ambiance. There are several resorts and rest houses anchored in the area. Some of these are budget-friendly and affordable, like Ladlad Resort, Elena Resort, Patag Recreational Center, and a lot more.

A. Ladlad Resort– before, the place was mainly for the production of vegetables that is carried out to the different hotels in Bacolod City. At a later date, the owner of the land decided to change a portion of his Land to a resort, and that is Ladlad Resort. So he funded the construction of the swimming pool, filling it with water from the nearby spring in the area. So if you ask how the water is? Hell yeah! It is so cold that could nearly freeze your entire system- well that’s an exaggeration, but it’s cold really.

It’s affordable as well for the entrance fee is only Php10.00. On the first portion of the resort lies a campground where you can set up your tent which could probably cost you Php100 only. In case you don’t have your tent with you, you can rent tents from the resort for only Php 500. So yes when you go there, you need to bring with you a tent so you can save a couple of bucks.

B. Patag Recreational Center– Located near the Old Hospital. The City developed the site for several years. Back then, it was just a plain grassland out there where you could do picnics and camping. But indeed, having built a swimming pool there brought a significant change in the area. There is an increase in guests’ and tourists’ visits. At a low cost, you can enjoy your stay there, for the entrance is only Php10 per person. There’s a room accommodation as well that ranges from 80-100 pesos per person depending on the type of rooms you want to occupy. We’ve stayed there for one night actually, and they give discounts to students. So we only paid Php 60.00 for the room per person.
Note: Bring your School ID to avail of some exclusive discounts. If you’re planning to stay in for the night, especially during peak season such as summer, It is advisable to have a permit from the City’s Tourism Office for you to prioritize and have some reservations on the Rooms. Their rooms were quite limited, and it is expected to have been fully occupied during this season. You can locate the City’s Tourism Office in the back area of the City Plaza.

C. Elena Resort– Located a few steps from Ladlad Resort. Just like the same as Ladlad, Cottages, pool, and camping grounds can be found there, at an affordable price as well at Php10.00 as their entrance fee. You could visit there anytime.

Tinagong Dagat

Aside from the resorts, Patag has a lot to offer. You could try hiking if you don’t have any problems with your respiratory system such as asthma and the like. We strongly recommend the Tinagong Dagat. It could be a long and dramatic as others would describe it, but it’s all worth it. It’s a more or less 6-hour walk depending on how fast you can hike up the mountain. We advise you to have with you again your tent, for there’s a possibility that you might need some rest since this is tiresome, and it entails a lot of endurance and stamina to complete the course. And don’t forget to go there with your guide as well. After you reach the Tinagong Dagat, you’ll be amazed at its beauty and wonder. All your energy would replenish in a second you’ve been there. It is truly magical as we say.

How to get there: From Bacolod, North Terminal, only drop yourself at the Prince Supermart. Beside it, the Patag Jeepney Terminal is located. A two-hour trip would sound fun and exciting for you’ll witness a lot of breathtaking views as you journey towards Patag. The fare is only Php 45.00 to the Old Hospital in Brgy. Patag.

All of these wonders activities Silay City has to offer from the City proper to its Highland- are only a few reasons why you should not like Silay. Why? Indeed, “like” is an understatement. You just gotta “Love” it as we Silaynons do. Reading this article also serves as an invitation for you to visit Silay City and discover its God-given wonders. You SHOULD and MUST because it is the place “where life is sweet, and the past is FOREVER.”

Authors: This article was contributed by the BSBA Major in Marketing Students of La Consolacion College – Bacolod: Jessie Bedrio, Sherelyn Escaner, and  Efany Escaner.