San Jose de Buenavista

San Jose de Buenavista, officially the Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista, (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang San Jose de Buenavista; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang San Jose de Buenavista) or locals referred to as San Jose, is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 62,534 people.[3]

San Jose de Buenavista San Jose
Municipality
Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista
Capitol Building
Seal
Map of Antique with San Jose de Buenavista highlighted
OpenStreetMap
San Jose de Buenavista Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°45′N 121°57′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province	Antique
District	Lone district
Founded	1733
Barangays	28 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Elmer C. Untaran
• Vice Mayor	Delfin Justin R. Encarnacion
• Congressman	Loren Legarda
• Electorate	35,499 voters (2019)
Area  [2]
• Total	48.56 km^2 (18.75 sq mi)
Population  (2015 census)[3]
• Total	62,534
• Density	1,300/km^2 (3,300/sq mi)
• Households	13,488
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	12.67% (2015)[4]
• Revenue (₱)	175,660,406.94 (2016)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	5700
PSGC	060613000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)36
Climate type	tropical climate
Native languages	Kinaray-a language Ati Hiligaynon Tagalog

The municipality also hosted the 2017 Palarong Pambansa.

History

In 1250, ten Bornean Datus (Chiefs), their wives, children, warriors, servants, and followers left Borneo and the oppression of Sultan Makatunao. In December, they landed at Siwaragan, San Joaquin, in the province of Iloilo. After interrogating two men who were fishing there, they were told that the leader, Chieftain Marikudo and his wife, Maniwangtiwan were living nearby in Sinugbo. The Datus went downstream and found the Ati ruler. Negotiations commenced and the "Barter of Panay" was made. Panay was bought in exchange for a gold salakot (Chieftain's rattan hat trimmed in gold) for Marikudo and a long, gold necklace for Maniwangtiwan. The other three datus sailed northward to Luzon, leaving seven datus under the leadership of Datu Sumakwel.

Multiple settlements were established in Malandog, later including Tubigon, which is now San Jose de Buenavista, and a settlement was established in Naganya (Egana). Barangay Odiong served as a dock for boats of Malays coming from Malandog to the eastern part of Hantique (Antique). To signal boats stopping or arriving, the port authorities used budyong or horns made from a carabao's (water buffalo) horns. The blowing of budyong took place at Telegrapo in Tubigon as this spot served as the signal and control tower. The Hantique rivers at that time were navigable and the main way of traveling.

Spanish colonizers came to Hantique in 1581. With them came Augustinian friars that Christianized the inhabitants who lived in Hamtic. They taught the people in Christian ways and built churches in Maybato, Asluman, Naganya (Egana) and Bugason (Bugasong).

There was no place called San Jose de Buenavista at that time. It was called Tubigon because it was under water. Tubigon was still a part of Hamtic and a visita of the church of Hamtic, meaning it had no parish priest of its own. The people went to Maybato to hear mass. The church was a big stone edifice, which gave the name "Maybato" to its vicinity. Moro pirates frequently plundered Hamtic and went as far as Maybato. These Moro pirates burned the church and took away the huge bell in the belfry. They had not gone far from Mala-iba when their boat sank and in colloquial Spanish, Mala-iba means, "it had gone away." In 1733, San Jose, formerly called “Tubigon” was founded, and in 1790, it acquired its land title through land grants issued by Governor-General Félix Berenguer de Marquina. Afterwards, it became a parish having its first curra paroco or parish priest, Fr. Manuel Ibañes.

About two hundred years ago, the site now occupied by San Jose de Buenavista was dense jungle and a favorite landing place of the Moro pirates who raided the countryside. During the invasions of 1743, the Moros were reported to have penetrated as far as Catung-agan, but all were killed with the exception of three by the famous Manglo of Igmatongtong (Bugasong). The year 1776 saw a return of the Moros to Bugasong. In 1779, Badyangan (Patnongon) was the scene of their depredations, while Barbaza suffered in their hands in 1782 and 1787. The inhabitants gradually moved away from the coastal areas and settled in the mountains. Only two towns remained—Bugasong (founded in 1743) and Antike (founded in 1745) both belonging to the province of Oton. The Moro pirates landed in the neighborhood of Madrangca and from there, penetrated into the other regions of the province. It became clear that one of the best ways to stop them from landing at the point, was to cut down the jungle and prevent their surreptitious landings and invasions of the areas. Seven men began this hazardous undertaking in Malai-ba near the San Juan Spring under the leadership of Augustin Sumandi. In the year 1790, the sitio of Mala-iba changed its name into San Jose, not only to honor its patron saint but also to perpetuate the name of Augustin Sumandi's son, Jose. In 1802, upon petition of the people, San Jose de Buenavista became the capital of the province of Antique and Augustin Sumandi was appointed as its first Gobernadorcillo.

In 1872, San Jose became a town. Then in 1902, it became the capital of the Province of Antique. Government officials and church dignitaries came by boat to attend the ceremonies. Impressed by the marvelous view of the town, they added to the name San Jose, the word “de Buenavista” (meaning beautiful view), the town's current name.

In 1954, by the virtue of Executive Order No. 3 of the President of the Philippines, the southern portion of San Jose de Buenavista was formed into an independent municipality under the name of Hamtic. The boundary was described to be "From a point on the south bank of the mouth of Malandog River running northeasterly in a straight imaginary line to a point on the northeast side of the San Jose-Hamtic provincial road ten meters west of the intersection of this northeast side of said road with the northwest side of the Sibalom-Piapi-Malandog provincial road; thence following approximately the same direction in an imaginary line that is parallel to, and ten meters distant from the said Sibalom-Piapi-Malandog provincial road until it touches the present boundary between San Jose and Sibalom."[5]

Geography

San Jose de Buenavista is 97 kilometres (60 mi) from Iloilo City, 182 kilometres (113 mi) from Kalibo, and 213 kilometres (132 mi) from Roxas City.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 48.56 square kilometres (18.75 sq mi) [2] constituting 1.78% of the 2,729.17-square-kilometre- (1,053.74 sq mi) total area of Antique.

Climate

Climate data for San Jose de Buenavista, Antique
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	30 (86)	31 (88)	32 (90)	33 (91)	32 (90)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (87)
Average low °C (°F)	21 (70)	21 (70)	22 (72)	23 (73)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	19 (0.7)	17 (0.7)	26 (1.0)	37 (1.5)	119 (4.7)	191 (7.5)	258 (10.2)	260 (10.2)	248 (9.8)	196 (7.7)	97 (3.8)	39 (1.5)	1,507 (59.3)
Average rainy days	7.2	5.2	8.3	11.9	22.3	26.5	28.3	28.2	27.3	26.4	18.7	11.8	222.1
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[6]

Barangays

San Jose de Buenavista is politically subdivided into 28 barangays.[7]

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2015[3]		2010[8]
060613001	Atabay	3.6%	2,266	2,164	▴	0.88%
060613002	Badiang	4.8%	2,995	2,638	▴	2.45%
060613003	Barangay 1 (Poblacion)	4.5%	2,808	2,762	▴	0.31%
060613004	Barangay 2 (Poblacion)	2.9%	1,804	1,867	▾	−0.65%
060613005	Barangay 3 (Poblacion)	5.4%	3,384	3,289	▴	0.54%
060613006	Barangay 4 (Poblacion)	4.7%	2,943	2,847	▴	0.63%
060613007	Barangay 5 (Poblacion)	1.5%	969	1,048	▾	−1.48%
060613008	Barangay 6 (Poblacion)	0.8%	489	482	▴	0.27%
060613009	Barangay 7 (Poblacion)	0.6%	395	398	▾	−0.14%
060613010	Barangay 8 (Poblacion)	7.5%	4,689	4,671	▴	0.07%
060613011	Bariri	1.9%	1,209	1,130	▴	1.29%
060613014	Bugarot (Catungan-Bugarot)	1.5%	946	952	▾	−0.12%
060613015	Cansadan (Cansadan-Tubudan)	3.2%	1,978	1,380	▴	7.09%
060613016	Durog	0.8%	496	280	▴	11.50%
060613017	Funda-Dalipe	9.4%	5,879	5,498	▴	1.28%
060613018	Igbonglo	2.2%	1,401	1,302	▴	1.41%
060613019	Inabasan	2.2%	1,382	1,357	▴	0.35%
060613020	Madrangca	4.2%	2,630	2,252	▴	3.00%
060613021	Magcalon	1.8%	1,132	1,074	▴	1.01%
060613022	Malaiba	2.7%	1,712	1,624	▴	1.01%
060613023	Maybato Norte	6.7%	4,219	3,716	▴	2.45%
060613024	Maybato Sur	3.5%	2,185	1,655	▴	5.43%
060613025	Mojon	2.4%	1,517	1,438	▴	1.02%
060613026	Pantao	1.2%	756	752	▴	0.10%
060613027	San Angel	3.9%	2,468	2,310	▴	1.27%
060613028	San Fernando	4.3%	2,708	2,283	▴	3.30%
060613029	San Pedro	9.2%	5,735	5,300	▴	1.51%
060613030	Supa	2.3%	1,439	1,378	▴	0.83%
	Total		62,534	57,847	▴	1.49%

Demographics

Population census of San Jose de Buenavista

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 19,819 —     1918 21,221 +0.46% 1948 34,639 +1.65% 1960 17,124 −5.70% 1970 23,384 +3.16% 1975 24,730 +1.13% 1980 30,266 +4.12%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 40,267 +2.90% 1995 42,927 +1.21% 2000 48,261 +2.54% 2007 54,871 +1.79% 2010 57,847 +1.94% 2015 62,534 +1.49%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][8][9][10]

In the 2015 census, San Jose de Buenavista had a population of 62,534.[3] The population density was 1,300 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,400/sq mi).

Language

Kinaray-a is the spoken language of the municipality. Kinaray-a came from the word "iraya", which refers to a group of people residing in the mountain areas of the province. Hiligaynon is spoken as a second language of the municipality.

Religion

San Jose is the see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose de Antique.

Government

Year	Mayor	Notes
Before the creation of San Jose de Buenavista into what it is today, it had three neighboring pueblos, Guintas, Antike and San Pedro. These pueblos, each under the Presidente Municipal, served for one year as follows:
1901–1902	Ceriaco Erena	San Jose de Buenavista
1901–1902	Ramon Javier	Antike
1901–1902	Nemesio Tinga	Guintas
1901–1902	Emigdio Moscoso	San Pedro
1902–1903	Anselmo Alicante	San Jose de Buenavista
1902–1903	Feliciano Mijillano	Antike
1902–1903	Apolonio Magbanua	Guintas
1902–1903	Agapito Capistrano	San Pedro
When the pueblos were organized into one pueblo, San Jose de Buenavista, the following served as Presidente Municipal:
1904–1905	Martin Iglesias
1905–1908	Mariano Autajay
1908–1910	Jacinto Peña
1910–1912	Sixto Quilino
1918–1922	Vicente Javier
1919–1922	Antonio Ricarze	He died in office, January 1922 and Jose Iglesias served the unexpired term for the whole year.
1922–1928	Gregorio Esclavilla
1928–1934	Alberto Villavert
1934–1937	Antonio delos Reyes
1938–1951	Silverio Nietes
1952–1954	Julian Pacificador
In 1954, the title, Presidente Municipal, was changed to Municipal Mayor. When Hamtic was separated from San Jose de Buenavista in 1954, Municipal Mayor Julian Pacificador was transferred to Hamtic and Vice Mayor Delfin Encarnacion took over as Municipal Mayor of San Jose.[11]
1954-1956	Delfin Encarnacion
1956–1963	Severa Panaguiton-Banusing	Still the first and only female mayor of San Jose de Buenavista
1964–1967	Agerico Villavert
1968–May 7, 1986	Oscar Salazar
May 8, 1986 to December 1987	Efren G. Esclavilla
1987	Condrado V. Petinglay, Jr.	Officer-in-Charge
1988-1998	Efren G. Esclavilla
1998-2007	Fernando Corvera
2007-2016	Rony Lavega Molina
2016–Present	Elmer C Untaran

Tourism

The Evelio Javier Freedom Park

The celebration of the historical Binirayan Festival is conducted the last week of December. It's a theatrical presentation, commemorating the landing of the ten Malay datus in Malandog, Hamtic, and Antique in the middle of the 13th century to found the first Malayan settlement or barangay in this country. Started in 1971, it now attracts the attention of Filipino and foreigners alike.

Old and new buildings dot the town: the Old Capitol Building; Evelio B. Javier Memorabilia (New Capitol); ADF Handicrafts; Azurin Mansion and Piedra's Restaurant; La Granja and Binirayan Hills; and the San Pedro Old Church.

EBJ Freedom Park is located in front of the Antique Provincial Capitol building in San Jose de Buenavista. The Sangguiang Panlalawigan of Antique on behalf of the entire Antiqueño citizenry officially christens the place Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park. In the park is a marker which reads " A fitting tribute to a man who has done so much, not only for the people of Antique, but the entire Filipino nation, in pursuit of justice, freedom, dignity, democracy and peace". The marker also designates the spot where the late Gov. Evelio B. Javier was shot by an unknown assassin on February 11, 1986. Facts about his death are incomplete.

Camp Autajay sometimes called Piña beach, is five kilometers away from San Jose. It is a 10-hectare lot located along the beach, with an orchard of narra and mahogany trees, nipa sheds, benches and cottages. The place is ideal for camping, or live-in seminars for conferences. One can go swimming, light bonfires, climb trees, pick fruits or play during leisure hours.

San Jose celebrates its religious fiesta on May 1 to honor its patron saint, Saint Joseph the Worker.

Notable people

• Jerry Navarro Elizalde - Philippine National Artist for Visual Arts - Painting
• John Iremil Teodoro - Filipino writer, university professor and freelance journalist. He is also a multi-awarded poet and playwright, one of the country's leading pioneers in gay literature and the most published author in Kinaray-a to date.
• Alex C. Delos Santos - a Karay-a writer and theater artist based in San Jose, Antique, the Philippines. His research and writing interests are in culture and arts and gay literature.
• Richard Yee - Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association.
• Alberto A. Villavert - Filipino Politician who led the Philippine Province of Antique between 1937 and 1946 both as an appointed and elected Governor.
• Sunshine Teodoro[12] - Filipina Actress known for her work on Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story (2011), Feng Shui 2 (2014), Social Virus (2014) and Oro(2016)
• Marian Capadocia - Tennis player
• Jose Romeo Lazo - Archbishop of Jaro

References

1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
2. "Province: Antique". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
3. Census of Population (2015). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
5. http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1954/01/05/executive-order-no-3-s-1954/
6. "San Jose de Buenavista: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
7. "Municipal: San Jose de Buenavista". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
8. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
9. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
10. "Province of Antique". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
11. http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1954/01/05/executive-order-no-3-s-1954/
12. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4441931/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

External links

• San Jose Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• "San José de Buena Vista" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.