HISTORY OF BINALBAGAN

The town got its name from an incident in the past where a very big snake got stranded in the mouth of a river near the poblacion and blockaded sea transport facilities at that time.People then started to refer to the place and the incident as "binalbagan", and later pronounced the word as "Binalbagan".

Around the 18th and 19th century, the town which was covered with the thick forest and swamps was inhabited by Negritoes. When the first imigrants from Panay came, Negritoes who choose to stay behind learned the modern ways of cultivation and farming. So woodlands were cleared while sugar and rice fields were developed.

Inhabitants of the town increased through the years and immigrants acquired vast tracts of land through bartering pieces of clothes with the natives. The Spaniards arrived in the town between 1850 to 1877. During this period, sugarcane were grown in small areas and sugar called "muscovado" was crudely milled. When Negrenses revolted against Spain, no fighting occured in the town as there was little Spanish influence and improvement.