Mabinay, officially the Municipality of Mabinay, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 82,953 people , making it the most-populous municipality in Negros Oriental.

History

Folklore has it that a woman named Binay fell in love with the son of her father's rival chieftain. Her father ended the affair by having her lover killed. Binay grieved. Mother Nature took the weeping maiden into her bosom. Where Binay was laid to rest, a spring broke forth. According to the legend, she weeps to this day, feeding Mabinay Spring, one of the town's many alluring attractions.

It had over 100 known caves, including the popular Pandalihan, Panligawan and Gasidlak, each one with its own distinctive features ranging from fascinating to awesome. A team of Belgian and Dutch cavers determined Odloman Cave to be the second longest in the Philippines.

Under Republic Act No. 2469, which was signed by President Carlos P. Garcia in 1959, Mabinay was formally created from the fourteen sitios that seceded from the then-municipality of Bais. In 1966, under Republic Act No. 4818, the municipality's territory was enlarged, with four more sitios added from Manjuyod and eight from Bais.

Mabinay produces rice and corn, copra, soybeans and peanuts. Its principal crop, sugar cane, makes it an important member of the north's sugar district. It is a border town: the provincial highway runs through it and links Negros Oriental with its sister province.

Travel from Dumaguete is about two hours.

Geography

Mabinay is situated roughly in the central part of the island of Negros abutting the western side of the provincial boundary. The municipality of Ayungon bounds it in the north, the City of Bais in the south, the municipalities of Bindoy and Manjuyod and a portion of Bais in the east, and the city of Kabankalan in the province of Negros Occidental in the west. It is 87 kilometres (54 mi) north-west of the provincial capital, Dumaguete.

Barangays

Mabinay is politically subdivided into 32 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020		2010
074614001	Abis	4.3%	3,603	2,706	▴	2.90%
074614002	Arebasore	2.4%	1,957	1,548	▴	2.37%
074614003	Bagtic	4.3%	3,549	3,100	▴	1.36%
074614005	Banban	1.4%	1,185	1,073	▴	1.00%
074614006	Barras	3.2%	2,662	2,641	▴	0.08%
074614007	Bato	2.9%	2,413	2,096	▴	1.42%
074614008	Bugnay	1.0%	800	853	▾	−0.64%
074614009	Bulibulihan	1.7%	1,406	1,149	▴	2.04%
074614010	Bulwang	3.1%	2,535	2,191	▴	1.47%
074614011	Campanun-an	2.6%	2,197	2,947	▾	−2.89%
074614012	Canggohob	2.2%	1,828	1,531	▴	1.79%
074614013	Cansal-ing	1.5%	1,280	1,392	▾	−0.84%
074614014	Dagbasan	3.1%	2,573	1,773	▴	3.79%
074614015	Dahile	4.9%	4,035	3,975	▴	0.15%
074614016	Himocdongon	3.4%	2,855	2,260	▴	2.36%
074614017	Hagtu	1.8%	1,475	1,616	▾	−0.91%
074614018	Inapoy	3.4%	2,800	2,214	▴	2.38%
074614019	Lamdas	1.8%	1,468	1,537	▾	−0.46%
074614020	Lumbangan	6.1%	5,083	4,953	▴	0.26%
074614021	Luyang	2.3%	1,875	1,575	▴	1.76%
074614022	Manlingay	1.0%	866	800	▴	0.80%
074614023	Mayaposi	3.5%	2,868	2,444	▴	1.61%
074614024	Napasu-an	1.1%	935	941	▾	−0.06%
074614025	New Namangka	0.7%	570	370	▴	4.42%
074614026	Old Namangka	1.9%	1,541	1,033	▴	4.08%
074614027	Pandanon	3.6%	3,006	2,484	▴	1.93%
074614028	Paniabonan	4.2%	3,518	3,373	▴	0.42%
074614029	Pantao	5.3%	4,358	4,014	▴	0.83%
074614030	Poblacion	8.5%	7,066	6,132	▴	1.43%
074614031	Samac	3.9%	3,270	3,293	▾	−0.07%
074614032	Tadlong	3.1%	2,606	1,912	▴	3.14%
074614033	Tara	5.8%	4,770	4,261	▴	1.13%
	Total		82,953	74,187	▴	1.12%

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Mabinay has a tropical monsoon climate. Unlike other municipalities and cities in Negros Oriental, Mabinay is situated further inland, making its mean temperatures slightly cooler compared to municipalities and cities that are on the coastline.

Demographics

Population census of Mabinay

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1960	14,585	—
1970	33,785	+8.75%
1975	35,336	+0.90%
1980	46,871	+5.81%
1990	58,935	+2.32%
1995	62,939	+1.24%
2000	67,001	+1.35%
2007	70,548	+0.71%
2010	74,187	+1.85%
2015	78,864	+1.17%
2020	82,953	+1.00%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Economy

Poverty incidence of Mabinay

10 20 30 40 50 60 2006 56.60 2009 48.83 2012 40.81 2015 52.67 2018 32.70 2021 30.26 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Tourism

Mabinay is known for its caves. The Odloman Cave is one of the largest caves in the Philippines, with 8,870 metres (29,100 ft) long and Cayaso Cave, the ninth longest cave in the country measuring 2,222 metres (7,290 ft) long.

Aside from the caves, Mabinay also has rivers and natural springs. One of its known natural spring is located at the heart of the municipality, the Mabinay spring. Ideal for family outing, swimming, kayaking, it also serves as the main water resource of the main town. It is about a 3 to 5 minute ride with tricycle, jeepney or a bus from the town center.

Healthcare

Mabinay itself has a small government-run hospital. Mabinay Medicare Community Hospital provides both in emergency outpatients services and inpatient services. It is located directly behind the Municipal Hall.

Mabinay Health Center is one of the three health centers that serve the town.

Transportation

Motorcycles (also locally known as habal-habal), tricycles, jeepneys, and buses are the major modes of transportation in the municipality. Mabinay has a bus terminal that serves Ceres buses in transit from either Bacolod or Dumaguete.

The municipality is easily accessible through the Bais–Kabankalan road which cuts through the entire town. It is also directly connected to Ayungon through the Ayungon-Tambo road and to the city of Bayawan through the Bayawan-Mabinay road.

Education

On June 16, 1997, the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council) Resolution No. 94 established the Mabinay Institute of Technology (MIT), a technical college operated with the approval of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. On June 25, 2004, MIT was integrated into the newly converted university, Negros Oriental State University by virtue of the university charter, Republic Act No. 9299 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It became known as Mabinay Campus (NORSU-M).

The public schools in the town of Mabinay are administered by four school districts under the Schools Division of Negros Oriental.

Elementary schools

High schools

Private schools

• Sto. Niño High School — Lumbangan