In 2015, Central Visayas was redefined when it lost the province of Negros Oriental to the newly formed Negros Island Region. However, the Negros Island Region was dissolved in 2017, returning Negros Oriental to Central Visayas.
Etymology
The name of the region, Central Visayas, was mostly chosen by American colonists to denote the centrality of the islands within the bigger Visayas area.
There have been proposals to rename the current Central Visayas region, which is dominated by the Cebuano (Sugbuanon) ethnic group, to Sugbu, the former name of the region prior to Spanish colonization in the 16th century. The name refers to the former kingdom of the region, the Rajahnate of Cebu, or Sugbu in Cebuano.[3][4]
History
Regions first came into existence on September 24, 1972, when the provinces of the Philippines were organized into 11 regions by Presidential Decree No. 1 as part of the Integrated Reorganization Plan by President Ferdinand Marcos. The provinces of Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental (including its then-subprovince of Siquijor) were grouped together to form the Central Visayas region.
By virtue of Executive Order No. 183, s. 2015, issued on May 29, 2015, by President Benigno Aquino III, Central Visayas lost the province of Negros Oriental to the newly formed Negros Island Region.[5]
On August 9, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte dissolved the Negros Island Region, revoking Executive Order No. 183, s. 2015 through the signing of Executive Order No. 38, citing a lack of funds to fully establish the region according to Benjamin Diokno, the Secretary of Budget and Management.[6] This returned Negros Oriental to Central Visayas.
Geography
Central Visayas consists of the island provinces of Cebu and Bohol, the province of Negros Oriental which comprises the eastern half of the island of Negros, and the island province of Siquijor. The region also includes the straits of Cebu and Tañon. Its land area is 15,895.66 km2 (6,137.35 sq mi), 5.3% of the country's total land area.
According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,081,988. The population density was 510/km2 (1,300/sq mi). The 2015 census showed an average annual population growth rate of 1.76% from 2010 to 2015, slightly higher than the national average of 1.72%.[1]
Mactan–Cebu International Airport, located on Mactan Island in Metro Cebu, is the country's second-busiest airport and a gateway to the region by air. It is the secondary hub of Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (and their subsidiaries), with flights to locations throughout the country. It also serves international flights to other Asian and intercontinental destinations.[21]
Cebu City is the main media hub for the region. Large media networks – ABS-CBN, GMA Network, TV5, People's Television Network, CNN Philippines, and IBC 13 – maintain their respective local stations and branches for viewership, commercial and news coverage purposes. Most of these stations broadcast local news and public affairs as well as entertainment and dramas to cater to the local viewers.
Aside from the 24 national daily newspapers available, Cebu City also has 20 local newspapers. Among the widely read are SunStar Cebu, Cebu Daily News, and The Freeman.