Dumaguete (Liberty Nests in the Orient)

Enclave of Dumaguete
Lungsod ng Dumaguete (Tagalog)
Dakbayan sa Dumaguete (Bisaya)
Timeline: Liberty Nests in the Orient
OTL equivalent: Dumaguete City, Philippines
Enclave of Dumaguete Lungsod ng Dumaguete (Tagalog); Dakbayan sa Dumaguete (Bisaya)Timeline: Liberty Nests in the Orient ; OTL equivalent: Dumaguete City, Philippines
	Coat of arms
	Anthem: ; Star Spangled Banner;
	Location of Dumaguete (Liberty Nests in the Orient) Location of the Enclave of Dumaguete (red) in the island of Negros
Demonym	Dumagueteño (masculine); Dumagueteña (feminine); Dumaguetenean (colloquial)
Country	United States
Government	Territorial presidential constitutional republic
Unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States
Area
Population
Currency	US Dollar ($)
Time zone	Philippine Standard Time (PST) (UTC+8)

The Enclave of Dumaguete, also called the Dumaguete City Enclave or the Dumaguete City Concession, is a small, coastal enclave city belonging to the United States in the southeastern portion of the island of Negros, located in the Central Visayas Region of the Philippines. It is an unincorporated unorganized territory mainly administered by the Department of the Interior. Dumaguete City is bordered by the Philippine province of Negros Oriental on all sides.

Dumaguete City is home to the Siliman University, founded by Philanthropist John Siliman, the first American university founded in the Philippines after the Filipino-American War. Prior to Philippine independence in 1946, the city had a significant American civilian population due to Siliman University. This is one driving forces of why the city remains an American possession to this day.

History[]

Early History[]

Spanish Era[]

Spanish explorers on the expedition of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi first came to the island in April 1565. Legazpi dropped anchor in Bohol and sent his men to scout the island.^[4] Because of the strong currents of the Tañon Strait between Cebu and Negros, they were carried for several days and forced to land on the western side of the island. They reported seeing many dark-skinned inhabitants, and they called the island "Negros" (Negro means "black" in Spanish). The island was sparsely settled at the time, except for a few coastal settlements including Ilog and Binalbagan. In 1571, Legaspi assigned encomiendas on the island to 13 of his men. Augustinian friars began the Christianization of the island the next year. The island was administered as part of the jurisdiction of Oton until 1734 when it became a military district, and Ilog became the capital of the island. The capital was transferred to Himamaylan in 1795. Negros became a politico-military province in 1865 and the capital was transferred to Bacolod.

Due to its proximity to Mindanao, the southeastern coasts of Negros was in constant threat from Moro marauders looking for slaves, so watchtowers were built to protect the Christian villages. The Moro raids and Negros Oriental's distance from the Negros capital of Bacolod induced 13 Recollectionist priests to petition for the division of the island in July 1876. The island of Negros was then divided into the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental by a royal decree executed by Governor General Valeriano Weyler on January 1, 1890. Dumaguete was made the first capital of Negros Oriental. In 1892, Siquijor became a part of Negros Oriental, having previously been administered by Spain under the politico-military province of Bohol.

In 1890, the island-province of Negros was divided into two politico-military provinces, Occidental and Oriental. As earlier constituted, in 1898, Dumaguete was included in Negros Oriental.

Early 20th Century[]

Following the Philippine-American War, on May 1, 1901, a civil government was established by the Americans in the Province of Negros Oriental, including Dumaguete with the first city-mayor Meliton Larena Y Aureola. The same year, New York philanthropist John Siliman established the Siliman University, the first American and Protestant university in the Philippines.

When World War II broke out, the city was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces on May 26, 1942. It was liberated on April 26, 1945 by the combined forces of the United States, Filipino soldiers and the recognized guerrillas.

The establishment of the local military general headquarters and camp base of the Philippine Commonwealth Army from 1942 to 1946 and the Philippine Constabulary 7th Infantry Regiment from 1944 to 1946 was stationed and located in Dumaguete during World War II.

1945 Referendum and Concession[]

Following World War II, the city's residents held a referendum to remain an associated city under the United States. The population of the city overwhelmingly voted "Yes" to be an enclave city, counting up as 85%, while the remaining 15% voted the city should be part of the Philippines. This caused some degree of anti-American protests and pro-independence movement within the city. The city became a U.S. territory in July 1946 on the same day the Republic of the Philippines became independent from the United States and became a city a month later. Dumagueteneans were given the status of American nationals.

Retrocession of Siquijor[]

In 1971, the island of Siquijor held a referendum to retrocede back to Philippine sovereignty. Since the island lies directly across Dumaguete, it was administered as a U.S. territory. The island's population ultimately voted retrocession back to the Philippines. Nonetheless, cross-travel between Dumaguete and Siquijor continues to this day as if nothing has changed.

The Cold War[]

Communist hotspots in the Philippines during the Cold War. Note that the entire Negros Island is in red, including the enclave, which was is currently still seen as a potential target by NPA rebels.

The greatest threat the enclave faced is constant attacks by the communist New People's Army, part of the National Democratic Front and the Communist Party of the Philippines. Much throughout the 1950s to the 1990s, NPA rebels attempted several times to launch terrorist attacks on the enclave. Their motivation for attacking the city was continued American presence in the Philippines. On September 28, 1988, a force of 1,500 NPA rebels from the interior of Negros Island entered the city, killing dozens of U.S. Border Patrol guards. They then occupied several buildings, including Siliman University, and attempted to plant the flag of the NDF over city hall. This resulted in 1988 Dumaguete City crisis; it was the first time a U.S. territory was attacked and occupied by an enemy force since World War II. Policemen and SWAT were able to halt the progress of the NPA rebels by turning city hall and the police station into fortresses. Many Dumagueteneans fled the enclave into neighboring Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and Cebu, having been granted refugee status by the Philippine government. Local Hawaii and Guam National Guard Units, stationed near the enclave, then entered the city and counterattacked the NPA positions. The USS Tarawa (LHA-1) amphibious assault ship arrived on the 5th Day from the Subic-Olongapo Enclave, and delivered 800 U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), supported by AAV7s, LAV-25s, and UH-1Y Vipers. Under the U.S.-RP Mutual Defense Treaty, Philippine forces also sent their troops to help reclaim the city. The occupation only lasted a week, with majority of the NPA rebels killed and the remaining surrendered. 25 U.S. troops were killed in the operation and several wounded. 19 Filipino soldiers also died in the battle.

21st Century[]

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, the greatest threat of Dumaguete came from Islamic rebels operation in southern Philippines. Since Dumaguete faces the island of Mindanao, the threat of an Islamic terrorist attack coming from the Abu-Sayaff group was seriously taken by the Pentagon. U.S. Navy and Coast Guard patrols have increased in the high seas between the enclave and Mindanao. As part of Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines, U.S. Special Forces such as Delta Force, the Green Berets, and U.S. Navy SEALs have used Dumaguete as an entry point before being deployed to Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi.

Dgte-magnitude-6.9 — Residents gather in the streets immediately right after the 2012 Visayas earthquake.

On February 6, 2012, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck Tañon Strait. The shock was felt in throughout Negros and the island of Cebu. The enclave suffered moderate damages to buildings. There were minor accidents and injuries caused by the panic during the earthquake. Deaths were reported in the province of Negros Oriental, mainly from landslides. In Cebu City, there was pandemonium due to a false alarm of a tsunami heading to the city, causing minor damages to property. U.S. National Guardsmen, FEMA, and the police were deployed to maintain order and oversee the relief efforts. As an act of goodwill, U.S. troops were also deployed to Negros Oriental and Cebu to help reconstruct damaged areas.

In 2016, the city celebrated its 55th anniversary of concession to the United States.

Politics[]

Dumaguete City is a self-governing enclave city of the United States, modeled after the former enclaves or territories of the Tientsin, the American concession in Shanghai and the Panama Canal Zone. Its government is a territorial presidential constitutional republic. It has its own constitution, modeled after the constitution of the United States, the Philippines and the former Negros Republic. The enclave is mainly administered by the Department of the Interior, which has classified the enclave as an unincorporated and unorganized territory. The governor and the mayor directly report to the Secretary of the Interior. The enclave has a non-voting delegate in the U.S. Congress. Dumagueteneans are considered American nationals and do not participate in presidential elections, just like the residents of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Entry[]

Due to special agreement in 1946, Filipinos can enter the enclave visa-free provided they show a passport and an I.D. It is very common for Filipinos to travel or transit in Dumaguete. Countries that are part of the U.S. Visa Waver program can enter the enclave visa free and can stay for 45 days. Countries not listed require a U.S. Visa for entry.

Relationship with the Philippines and Controversies[]

Despite the Philippines being one of the most pro-American countries in Asia and visa-free access to American enclaves in archipelago, the enclave of Dumaguete, along with the the Subic-Olongapo Enclave and Clark Freeport Zone, continue to be an obstacle of U.S.-Philippines relations. Some Presidents have requested the U.S. relinquish its claim of the enclaves and push for retrocession. There have been retrocession referendums held in 1971, 1985, and 1994, all which preferred to remain under U.S. possession. This has caused countless Anti-American protests around the country.

Flag[]

Military[]

Defense of the enclave is the responsibility of the United States. While it does not have its own National Guard, the enclave is under the jurisdiction of both the Guam and the Hawaii National Guard, which has stationed troops in some outposts in the outskirts of the city, notably in Camp Leon Kilat and Fort Eichelberger. In addition, the U.S. Air Force, Naval Aviation, and Air National Guard has stationed 12 F-16s,ten F-18s, five F-22 Raptors, and five C-130s in William H. Arnold Joint Air-Base adjacent to the Dumaguete-Sibulan International Airport. The airbase lies outside the enclave but access was granted to the United States in part of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement, and 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. There are no naval bases around the enclave but a small U.S. Coast Guard station is located beside the port of Dumaguete. Two USCG cutters are stationed there, along with smaller patrol craft, and four Dauphin helicopters. U.S. Navy destroyers or frigates often dock in the port during deployments.

While not in the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippines will come to the defense of Dumaguete should it be attacked by a belligerent party as part of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

Law Enforcement[]

The Dumaguete Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the enclave city. It has a fleet of several patrol cars, armored vans, 20 patrol boats, and five police helicopters.

Economy[]

Energy[]

The city directly obtains its energy from the Valencia geochemical plant, which is supplied by the Philippine government. The U.S. continues to pay the Philippines in providing power to the enclave.

Tourism[]

Below shows the points-of-interest in Dumaguete:

Transportation[]

Air[]

The city's main airport, Dumaguete-Sibulan International Airport, lies outside the territory of the enclave, within Philippine soil. Nonetheless, on a special mutual agreement with the Philippine government, flights into Dumaguete from cities in the Philippines are served. It provides daily flights to and from Manila and Cebu City through Cebu Pacific, Cebgo and PAL Express while CebuGo is servicing both Mindanao important urban centers, thrice weekly flights to Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City. Internationally, it provides flights into Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong SAR; Macau SAR; Naha, Okinawa; Tokyo, Japan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore; and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Within the U.S. territories, the airport only serves Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the Clark Freeport Zone, and the Subic-Olongapo zone.

Sea[]

Dumaguete, as a major port city is a jump-off point for passengers/tourists who are going to other Visayas and Mindanao areas. There are daily ferry connections to the islands of Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Mindanao operated by Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation (Fast Cat), Montenegro Lines, Ocean Jet Shipping, Cokaliong and other companies. Dumaguete is an access city for passengers/tourists going to Cebu which is dubbed as economic hub of the Visayas. There are smaller ports north of the city where short and frequent ferry connections are available to that island as an alternative. Dumaguete is a port of call for travelers to Manila, Dapitan and Zamboanga City by ship serviced by 2GO Travel.

The U.S. Merchant Marine stops by in Dumaguete and has a chapter in the city. Security is handled by the U.S. Coast Guard, which has a station in the port and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the Customs and Borders Protection and the Air and Marine Operations.

Land[]

Most residents commute using buses and public transport like jeepneys and the famous trisikad, a symbol of Philippine culture remaining in the city. Buses also transit into the province of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental and vice versa on a daily basis.

Education[]

Dumaguete is known as university city, similar to Boston, Massachusetts. It has four universities, with Siliman University being the most popular. Siliman University was established in 1901 by New York Philanthropist John Siliman, making the first American and Protestant university in the Philippines.

Culture[]

Dumaguete's culture is a mix of Filipino, Spanish, and American. The Spanish culture comes from roughly 300 years of Spanish administration over the Philippines. After the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, the city adopted American culture while retaining the Filipino-Spanish customs. Both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are practiced in the enclave, though Buddhism and Islam have seen a minor bloom. The Roman Catholic fiestas and celebrations like Holy Week, Flores de Mayo, and Simbang gabi (Midnight mass) are still being practiced.

In terms of sports, majority of the people play a mix of both American and Filipino sports. Baseball and basketball is famous, along with arniss, sipa, and Larong Pinoy (Filipino games).

Cuisine is a mix of American, Filipino and Spanish. It is common to find a restaurant that serves all three. The most famous dish coming from Dumaguete is the silvanas, coming from Sans Rival.