The document provides a brief history of Negros Island in the central Philippines. It describes how the island was originally inhabited by Negritos, Malays, and Chinese peoples and was called Buglas. In 1565, Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi renamed it Negros after seeing its dark-skinned inhabitants. For almost 400 years, Negros was administered as one province by the Spanish, until it was divided into the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental in 1890, with Dumaguete designated as the capital of Negros Oriental. Sugarcane cultivation transformed Negros into a productive island in the 19th century. Schools also contributed to the growth of Negros Oriental, including Silliman University