The name Negros Navigation and SuperFerry will soon be just a part of our memory since the two companies which were already merged under ATS Consolidated will now be called 2GO Travel.
Negros Navigation has been a big part of inter-island travel not only for Ilonggos and Negrenses but also for most Filipinos. The company has been a vital link in the economy of the Philippines as it made possible a much efficient shipping of passengers and cargo between the islands.
Perhaps, most Negrenses will remember the heartbreaking tragedy of the sinking of Don Juan in 1980 which led to the demise of hundreds of Negrenses. Not even the dissolution of the name will make us forget that tragedy.
History of Negros Navigation
Negros Navigation was established in July 26, 1932 with incorporators from Iloilo and Negros who were mostly sugar planters namely: Julio Ledesma, Vicente Lopez, Januario Jison, Cesar Ledesma, Juan Ledesma, Manuel Hechanova, Antonio Lizares, Nicolas Lizares, Carlos Lopez, Placido Mapa, and Aurelio Montinola. Julio Ledesma became the company’s first Chairman of the Board and President.
Eventhough majority of the stockholders were from Jaro, Iloilo City and the company’s main office was in Iloilo, it is said that the company adopted the name Negros Navigation to avoid confusion since there’s already a company named Iloilo Shipping at that time. It was only in January 1957 that the company opened a branch in Bacolod.
Negros Navigation’s first ship was Marapara which the owners acquired even before the company’s incorporation. In 1932 the company acquired another ship named Princess of Negros which sailed twice daily from Iloilo to Silay. With the boom of the sugar industry, there’s a need to have its own wharf in Bacolod thus in 1940, the company started constructing the Banago Wharf. It was inaugurated in 1941 with a big ceremony attended by hundreds of guests.
The Princess of Negros was also instrumental in transporting then President Manuel L. Quezon to the Visayas when he escaped from Corregidor during World War II.
In the 60’s Negros Navigation was the first among the domestic shipping companies to operate brand new, fast and luxurious and air conditioned passenger ships with the likes of Don Juan and Doña Florentina plying the Manila-Bacolod-Iloilo route.
In 70’s , the company was the first to construct and operate a modern passenger terminal in Manila’s North Harbor. Negros Navigation was also the first to offer special cruises to tourists spots in the Philippines and neighboring Asian countries such as Indonesia and Singapore with its luxury vessel Doña Monserrat.
[sociallocker id=”9891″] Download the pdf file of the history here.[/sociallocker]
Turbulent Times
Negros Navigation has also experienced and sailed through rough situations over the years. It has survived World War II, the oil crisis, and the strikes and demonstrations of the 60s. Negros Navigation survived, or at least the name, rehabilitation, acquisition and mergers. It’s fleet of ships still bear the name Negros Navigation eventhough it’s now mostly owned by Chinese. Times has changed and the company which now owns Negros Navigation no longer think the name still represent their company’s range of services.
Farewell Negros Navigation. You were once an icon and pride of the Ilonggos and Negrenses. You will forever be part of our memories.
the pride of iloilo and negros survived many rough seas and many rough times like the world war but not the economic war, it has a venom of greed and selfishness only few understand its vast hunger for power and domination. amen.
Subong ko lang nabasa. Haaaay… kasubo tuod. Sabagay, I could be one of the reasons why it is not doing well lately. I prefer riding the plane than taking the boat.
Traveling by air nowadays is cheaper and more convenient. I think for shipping companies to survive, they should focus more on cargo.
Sorry to hear that, what can we do if the Chinese already in the game, as the granny says, wala na sila sense of history kay mga instik na sila ehhehe, anyway so sad that Negros Navigation will say goodbye na, our museum, the Dizon Ramos Museum can offer a space for the history of that shipping line specially we have the Masskara Gallery here, shall i say “dali di NN may espacio kami para sa handurawan mo nga nag liligad”
That’s a good idea Mond! Nami gid tani if they can have an exhibit of their glory days.
Fantastic offer Raymond!!! Hope they will accept it! 🙂
Glad, kasubo,no? I still remember the Banago Wharf where I had to traverse over wooden boards to get to the ship. As my mom recalls ga-baka-baka gid ko lakat kay scared gid ko of falling through the spaces between the boards. Oh, I remember the kalamay hati sold in coconut half-shells, the smells of the grease, the guy painting the ship’s side with a long-handled roller brush. Princess of Negros gid ya to Iloilo. Then, the stevedores rushing in. The two-hour trip was the time to relax and make conversation. Did they have tv already on the ship when I was a kid? It was fun to ride the “vapor” the term of which must be a vestige of the era of steam boats.
I remember my first visit to Bacolod when I was in high school was via Don Vicente. Gahinay-hinay gid ko magtapak sa wooden boards sg Banago Wharf kay basi mahulog akon sapatos. Baw kamanol gid.
Oh wow Glad… I will never forget Negros Navigation, it has been a huge part of my childhood! Ferrying to Iloilo and back to Bacolod every year! I will always remember that, I really really like Don Vicente because of it’s roofdeck, and Princess of Negros well it was smaller version, with no roofdeck! haha I would remember the people at Banago would shout “damyo” either to be taken out or put in the ferry ships! Oh my… many many memories to recall!!! Ahay… my kids would only hear the stories and not experience it. Oh well… Ces’t La Vie! See you soon Glad!
NN is really a part o our childhood. At least, for our generation. I think they were also the first to have the dancing porters.
NN was mismanaged by the later generation of heirs (specifically, u know who)…If Don Julio and Dona FLorentina could turn in their graves, they probably would. And of course there was the Don Juan tragedy and the emergence of the fast crafts. NN did try to reposition itself by offering cruises…but their ships were too small and ordinary. I wish we had the likes of Star Cruises sailing in Philippine seas…can you imagine a Manila-Palawan-Boracay-Manila cruise or a Manila-Palawan-Malaysia-Manila cruise?
It’s such a pity for companies like NN which survived for decades only to be dissolved due to mismanagement. They also ventured into fast crafts with their Sea Angels. That’s what globalization does to companies who are ill-prepared. Most of our utilities now are no longer owned by Filipinos.