Sugar Railways of Negros Island, Philippines

Negros Island in 1983

Negros Island, located in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, is the fourth largest island in the country. It is divided into two provinces, with the western half—Negros Occidental—being home to many of the island’s sugar-producing centers. The provincial capital, Bacolod City, is the largest urban center on the island. Historically, the economy of Negros was sustained by vast sugar plantations and sugar mills. However, these were largely owned by Spanish or Chinese-Filipino landlords, resulting in a concentration of wealth among a small elite. Meanwhile, the labor force was composed mainly of seasonal workers who labored under vague contracts and unregulated wage systems, leaving them mired in deep poverty.
In the 1980s, the global price of sugar collapsed. From a high of 66 cents per pound in 1974, the price plummeted to just 6 cents by 1983—a staggering 90% drop. This price fell below the cost of production, forcing many mills to cease operations and shut down entirely. As the island lacked other major industries, its economy ground to a halt. By 1985, an estimated 100,000 children suffered from malnutrition, and cases of starvation were tragically reported. Government aid efforts were inadequate, allowing communist insurgents, particularly the New People's Army (NPA), to gain influence in the region.
Amidst this looming crisis, sugar mills across the island were still operating in November 1983. At the time, I—who was documenting the railway scenes—was regrettably unaware of the dire socioeconomic conditions unfolding around me. Not long after, the remaining mills began to abandon their railways in favor of truck transport. Thus, the photos I took became a record of one of the final moments when sugarcane was hauled by train.
As of 2025, only a few sugar railway lines survive, preserved mainly for tourism purposes. The relationship between landlords and laborers remains largely unchanged. Though the insurgents have been driven back into the mountains by government offensives, they have not been entirely eradicated. Sugar is still the island’s primary industry, but new and more hopeful developments are emerging—such as biomass power generation using bagasse (the fibrous byproduct of sugarcane) and the pursuit of diversified agriculture—offering a more positive outlook for the future.