Toboso, Negros Occidental

The site of what would become Toboso dated back to the precolonial period. The center of the original settlement was first known as Sag-ahan, an archaic word which means in the Cebuano language "to take out or catch fish by the hands" because fish were abundant in the coast and rivers, and eventually lent its name to the contemporary barangay Sagahan.

Upon Spanish colonization, the community was named Toboso in honor of a similar settlement in Spain, El Toboso, famous for appearing in the novel Don Quixote by the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes, as the town in which the fictional character Dulcinea del Toboso lives. Toboso was then a barrio of Escalante. Like many other settlements on the eastern coast of Negros, the community of Toboso had expanded with the coming of immigrants from the island of Cebu and developed extensively in fishing, agriculture and commerce.

During early period of American colonization of the Philippines, more impetus was dedicated to a sugarcane mill called the Central Azucarera del Danao at Labilabi, 6 kilometers from Toboso. The development of the sugar industry was started and gave livelihood to members of the community of Toboso.

After Philippine Independence, Toboso continued to thrive as a part of Escalante until Executive Order No. 141 was signed by president Elpidio Quirino separating the town as an independent municipality from Escalante.^[6]

Toboso is on the northeastern side of the province of Negros Occidental and faces the island of Cebu. It is bounded on the southwest by the municipality of Calatrava; northwest by the city of Sagay; north by the city of Escalante and east by Tañon Strait. The shoreline runs along the Tañon Strait from Calatrava boundary to the Escalante boundary facing east.

Toboso is 114 kilometres (71 mi) from Bacolod and 198 kilometres (123 mi) from Dumaguete, the capital of Negros Oriental.

Economic progress in Toboso has been sluggish due to the limited number of business establishments. It is commonly tagged as "one of the municipalities with high number of poverty incidence in Negros Occidental". Since its municipality recognition in July 1948, the town struggled to be at par with its neighboring cities like Escalante, Sagay, San Carlos and the town of Calatrava.^[14]

The economy primarily depends on sugarcane production. In 2019, there were 4,746 hectares under plantation, which produced 237,300 metric tons of sugarcane. In 2019, coconut production harvested 4,100 metric tons. Corn, livestock raising, poultry, game fowl and fishing are major contributors to local economy. Inhabitants often find work in neighboring provinces, engaging in shipbuilding. Others work as Overseas Filipino Workers, others engage in handicraft business. Some choose food preparation and form of local, small businesses.

The Mainit Hot Springs are located in the area of Barangay San Isidro, 12 km (7.5 mi) from the town center. Kampanoy Cave, located on the territory of Barangay General Luna, has a spacious interior which resembles a dome cathedral, next to the coast and is inhabited by Edible-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) which in recent years has been damaged because of phosphate mining.

Trangkalan Cave is located in Brgy. Magticol, until recently it was used for native folk religious acts. The magnificent 250 meter high cascades of the Dalisun Waterfalls are located near Sitio Vergara, Brgy. Bug-ang. Offshore Toboso is the 200-acre/80 hectare Kevin's Reef, a 10-minute boat ride away.

• Merlito Sabillo — WBO Minimumweight world champion