Sagay City Charter Day in the Philippines Date in the current year: June 11, 2026

Sagay is a coastal city in the northern part of Negros Occidental, a Philippine province on the island of Negros. The settlement was officially founded at the mouth of the Bulanon River in 1860 during the Spanish colonial period. Its founders, Francisco Rodríguez and Basilio Córdova, originally named it Argüelles. Spanish authorities later moved the settlement to an area now known as Old Sagay, and renamed it Pueblo de Magallanes, after the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. As a recognized pueblo, Sagay was administered by local officials appointed by the Spanish colonial government.

Like many towns in Negros, Sagay participated in the Philippine Revolution against Spain in the late 19th century. However, the First Philippine Republic’s independence was short-lived, as sovereignty passed to the United States following defeat of the Philippines in the Philippine-American War. Under American rule, the town’s name was officially changed from Magallanes to Sagay, which is derived from the word sigay, meaning a type of shell commonly found in the area.

Sagay experienced significant economic growth during the American period thanks to the development of the lumber and sugar industries. In the 1920s, the Lopez Sugar Corporation attracted migrant laborers from neighboring islands and provinces, including Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, and Guimaras. This contributed to Sagay’s growth and ethnic diversity.

Like the rest of the Philippines, Sagay was occupied by Japan during World War II. Approximately 1,500 local soldiers, guerrillas, and civilians accused of aiding the guerrillas were executed by the Japanese during the occupation. The occupation also damaged the infrastructure when factories in Sagay were destroyed.

After being liberated by combined Filipino and American forces in early 1945, Sagay began to rebuild. Following the war, the municipal government moved from Old Sagay to Dalusan, a more accessible settlement that eventually developed into the present-day city center. Improved road networks made inland administration and commerce easier than at the older coastal site.

In 1996, Alfredo Marañon, a House member from the 2nd congressional district of Negros Occidental, introduced a bill proposing the conversion of Sagay from a municipality to a city to the House of Representatives. The Senate version of the bill was sponsored by Senator Raul Roco. On June 11, 1996, President Fidel V. Ramos signed the bill into law, officially confirming Sagay’s cityhood. However, it officially went into effect two months later, on August 10.

Sagay City Charter Day, established in 2018, commemorates the signing of the law that converted Sagay into a city. It should not be confused with Sagay Foundation Day, which is celebrated on July 31 in the municipality of Sagay in the province of Camiguin.