"Our city is a picture of dynamism and progress. It is a city where the link to the past harmoniously merges with the development of the future. Its well preserved ancestral houses, collection of steam locomotives, rich cultural heritage, flavorful hometown delicacies, untamed forest and resolute people complement its thrust to become a leading winner destination in the region," said Silay City Mayor Jose Montelibano in his welcome address to tourists and patrons who wished to get a closer glimpse of Silay City’s beauty through the city’s official website.  True enough, whenever you are within the city, you can simply visit some of the famous clans’ ancestral homes, its historically famous San Diego Pro-Cathedral (the city’s parish church), and I even saw and read its published book entitled, "Silay City, The Sweet Life," (courtesy of the Cafe1925, owned by the Gaston Clan) which is a book so rich and full of informative details about the city’s past and present plus its dreams or goals for the future generation.  

I am now beginning to feel that I am becoming one of the city’s fan after I revisited it today.  It is fair enough to say that this city is really growing and progressing.  High five to that!  I just love hearing great news about the places in our country most especially within my province, Negros Occidental.  Awesome!

 

Some of the notable residents are as follows:  

• Yves Leopold Germain Gaston – he was originally from Lisieux, France, but settled in the Philippines, where he engaged in the production of cane sugar, the primary product of the province.  His eldest son then owned the now most-talked about mansion turned museum called Balay Negrense or The Negrense House.
  
  

• Leandro Locsin – he was famous for its first building design, The Church of the Holy Sacrifice in the University of the Philippines Diliman.  The Main Building (Tanghalang Pambansa) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, is also one of his most recognizable works.
  
  

• Jose Locsin – he was elected as municipal councilor for three years, then the province elected him provincial board member, and finally provincial governor of Negros Occidental. After his governorship, he was elected member of the House of Representatives where he served as chairman of the Committee of Public Instruction for three years.  He was also delegate to the Philippine Constitutional Convention, and chairman of that body’s Committee on Nationalization of Natural Resources. He advocated safeguards to protect the national patrimony.
  
  

• Rose Lacson-Porteous – came from a family with prominent military image but she herself rose to prominence in the 1980s as the central figure in a series of lawsuits launched by her stepdaughter, Gina Rinehart, the daughter of Porteous’s late husband, Australian iron ore pioneer, Lang Hancock. Porteous worked as a maid for Hancock, who became her third husband.  Not long after Hancock’s death, his widow married her current husband, William Porteous, a Perth real estate agent. Gina Rinehart’s lawsuits accused Rose Porteous of marrying Hancock only for his fortune and alleged that her stepmother’s actions had contributed to her father’s death.  Rose Porteous’ brushes with the law include matters relating to insurance fraud and prescription fraud. In October 2005 it was reported that Porteous was being sued for $14 million by Melbourne-based law firm Slater & Gordon for legal fees they claimed she owed for representing her in Rinehart’s lawsuits and eventually came to a settlement of $12.5 million.  After a brief stint in the tabloid media, Rose Porteous retreated to a quieter life in Perth and is regarded as a recluse by the locals, although she still occasionally appeared then on lifestyle programs for television. 

A city which houses the 16 barangays, Silay – the Seat of arts, culture and eco-tourism in Western Visayas; one of the country’s 25 highly recommended tourist attractions – has forged a sister city relationship with Makati City in September 2008 (the latter of course is known as the Central Business District of the Philippines). 

I took the time to visit the now ablooming Cafe1925 which is owned and being run by the Gaston Clan for two years now (and counting).  Well, initially I have only heard of this place from friends who had published blogs about their own experiences when they ate their ordered food from there.  And thanks to them as I could say the food served there would simply delight your mouth-watering hungry tummy as it did to mine.  Yummy at understandable prices!  My friend companion would agree with me, I’m sure of that, as we both left the place heavily stuffed and we have also enjoyed the access of their wi-fi.  It is located behind the BPI Building at the McKinley corner just past the city’s plaza.  We ate burger sandwich, carbonara pasta with hot chocolate. Argh! Can’t complain about the 25 to 30 minutes distance, plus the scorching heat of the sun, from the city of Bacolod when we got fed with quality food as such. 

In risk of being biased at this point, I intend to visit the Bacolod City museum (soon, hopefully) to also expound on its rich existence.  So friends, chillax!