San Jose de Buenavista, officially the Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista (Kinaray-a: Banwa kang San Jose de Buenavista) is the capital and largest municipality of the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 69,522 people, with its residents being proudly known as San Josenhon. Situated on the southwest coast of Panay Island, it serves as the province's primary administrative, commercial, and financial heart. The municipality covers a land area of 48.56 square kilometres (18.75 sq mi), constituting 1.78% of the total area of Antique. The current mayor is Paul Joseph Nicopior Untaran, the son of the late Mayor Elmer Untaran.
The town’s primary and native language is Kinaray-a. Historically known as Tubigon due to its swampy terrain, the town was renamed by Spanish settlers and officially succeeded the town of Antique (now Hamtic) as the provincial capital in 1802. Today, it is a First Class municipality and the undisputed focal point of political and social life in the province.
As the preeminent economic gateway of Antique, San Jose de Buenavista exerts a dominant influence on regional commerce and infrastructure. Its strategic geographic position places it 97 kilometres (60 mi) from Iloilo City, 182 kilometres (113 mi) from Kalibo, and 213 kilometres (132 mi) from Roxas City. The municipality anchors the province's ₱75.75 billion GDP, with the service sector—specifically financial services, retail trade, and professional activities—serving as its primary economic engine.
The municipality is the nerve center of provincial governance, housing the Antique Provincial Capitol and nearly all major provincial government sectors and regional offices. San Jose de Buenavista is a premier educational hub in its own right, home to major institutions such as St. Anthony's College (SAC), which is the first Catholic school in the province, along with several other prominent private and public learning centers.
Politically, San Jose de Buenavista is subdivided into 28 barangays, each consisting of puroks and various sitios. Modern infrastructure developments, such as the San Jose Boulevard Esplanade and the Antique Airport (Evelio B. Javier Airport)—which recently underwent a ₱1.576-billion upgrade to accommodate jet aircraft—have solidified its status as a modernized "mini-metropolis."
While the town is a center for rapid urbanization, it remains the custodian of Kinaray-a heritage. It serves as the historic site of the Binirayan Festival and houses the EBJ Freedom Park, where the martyred Governor Evelio B. Javier was assassinated. This balance of historic significance and modern infrastructure makes San Jose de Buenavista the undisputed focal point of political and social life in Antique.
Etymology
The name of the municipality has evolved through several iterations reflecting its transition from a mission outpost to a provincial capital. It was originally established as the Visita de Tubigon, a name derived from the Kinaray-a root word tubig (water), due to the area being quite swampy and possessing a reliable water source. As the settlement's religious significance grew, it became known as Sitio de San Josef (and subsequently around 1791, San Jose) in honor of its patron saint, Saint Joseph. Historical evidence suggests that the area may have also been referred to as San Juan in certain early colonial sources, leading to speculation that this was an alternative early designation. The final addition of the suffix Buenavista—Spanish for "good view"—was attributed to the town's scenic, elevated location and its perceived healthy environment, which distinguished it from the swampy conditions of the previous capital. During the Spanish colonial period, the name was also frequently recorded as San José de Buena Vista.
History
Early History
The origins of the settlement date back to 1733, when the parish of the Visita of Tubigon was established under the capital town of Antique (modern-day Hamtic). In 1787, Alcalde Mayor Juan de Montinola and Fr. Martín Iglesias proposed relocating the provincial capital to the site to escape high mortality rates and earthquake damage at the old town. The new settlement was named San José de Buenavista, honoring its patron saint, Saint Joseph, while the "Buenavista" (good view) suffix reflected its elevated location and healthy environment.
Cathedral of San Jose de Antique
Establishment and Growth
While local leaders of Hamtic initially resisted the move to protect their established farms and stone buildings, the Spanish government compromised by elevating San Jose to an independent pueblo on January 16, 1792. In the preceeding months, the town had elected its first gobernadorcillo, Agustín Sumandi, and received its first resident curate, Fr. Manuel Ibañez.
Provincial Capital and Economic Expansion
In 1802, following a formal petition from its residents, San Jose de Buenavista was officially designated the capital of the Province of Antique. This administrative elevation triggered a period of significant urban and economic expansion. By the mid-1800s, the town’s port had become a vital hub for regional maritime trade, facilitating the export and import of local goods.
The town's demographic profile diversified during this era as Spanish peninsulars and a significant number of Chinese immigrants settled in the capital. This influx of settlers drove a merchant economy, leading to the construction of permanent stone residences and a more robust commercial sector.
Revolutionary and American Periods
During the Philippine Revolution, the town served as the final stronghold for Spanish forces in the province. On November 24, 1898, after a two-day struggle known as the Battle of Antique, the town was captured by revolutionary forces led by General Leandro Fullon. This victory established a short-lived revolutionary government before the arrival of American forces in early 1899.
Following a fierce skirmish at the Malandog River involving American naval bombardment, the town was occupied on January 20, 1899. San José then became the center for the American military and subsequent civil administration. On April 11, 1901, the Taft Commission visited the town to formally establish a civil government, appointing General Fullon as the first provincial governor under the American regime.
Aerial view of San Jose de Buenavista, 1937
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]
The Evelio B. Javier Airport, the only airport serving commercial flights in the province of Antique, is located in San Jose.
Government
Year
Mayor
Notes
1792
Agustín Sumandi
First elected gobernadorcillo after the formal establishment of San Jose as a town.
1805
Juan Armigo
Became the interim governor of Antique, following the death of Gerardo Ruíz.
1808
Augusto Carpio
1814
Alexandro Rubino
1856
Ciriaco Ramiro y Constantino
1869
Eusebio Antonio
1872
Lorenzo de Vera
1875
Martín Esquerra
1880
Prudencio Villavert y Flores
1901–1902
Ceriaco Erena
1902–1903
Anselmo Alicante
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.[6]
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
2016–2024
Elmer C Untaran
Geography
San Jose de Buenavista is 97 kilometres (60mi) from Iloilo City, 182 kilometres (113mi) from Kalibo, and 213 kilometres (132mi) from Roxas City.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 48.56 square kilometres (18.75sqmi)[7] constituting 1.78% of the 2,729.17-square-kilometre- (1,053.74sqmi) total area of Antique.
Barangays
San Jose de Buenavista is politically subdivided into 28 barangays.[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2024 census, San Jose de Buenavista had a population of 69,522 people.[15] The population density was 1,400 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,600/sqmi).
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.
Since 1971, San Jose de Buenavista celebrates the Binirayan Festival during the final week of December. This festival involves a theatrical presentation commemorating founding of the first Malayan settlement or barangay in the country. San Jose celebrates its religious fiesta on May 1 to honor its patron saint, Saint Joseph the Worker.
Evelio Javier Freedom Park is located in front of the Antique Provincial Capitol building in San Jose de Buenavista. It is named for the late Governor Evelio Javier, who was shot by an unknown assassin on February 11, 1986. A marker in the park denotes the exact place of his death.
Old and new buildings dot the town: the Old Capitol Building; Evelio B. Javier Memorabilia (New Capitol); Azurin Mansion; La Granja and Binirayan Hills; and the San Pedro Old Church.
Education
The San Jose Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.[24]
Primary and elementary schools
Antique Adventist Academy
Antique Child Growth Center
Antique Christian Center
Assemblyman Segundo Moscoso Memorial School
Atabay Elementary School
Bagumbayan Elementary School
Banusing-Serdeña Elementary School
Bariri Elementary School
Bright Eyes Montessori School
Canuto B. Pefianco Sr. Elementary School (Madrangca Elementary School)
Cornerstone Kindergarten
Delegate Angel Salazar Jr. Memorial School
Doane Causeway Baptist Church Learning Center
Durog Elementary School
El Shekinah International Christian School
Eufrosino Q. Moscoso Elementary School
Evelio B. Javier Memorial School
Good News Christian School
Gov. Santos Capadocia MS
Igbonglo Elementary School
Inabasan Elementary School
Joy Hope Learning Center
Little Lamp Learning Center
Lugutan Elementary School
Loreto-Joaquin Delgado Elementary School (Badiang Elementary School)
Maybato Elementary School
Nahum Baptist Learning Center
Pantao-Igbonglo Elementary School
Rosario J. Moscoso Memorial School
Salazar ES (Funda Dalipe Elementary School)
San Angel- Malaiba Elementary School
San Fernando Elementary School
SB Benjamin Dagohoy Memorial School
St. Joseph Learning Center
Tubudan Cansadan Elementary School
Secondary schools
Advance Central College
Antique Integrated School
Antique National School
San Pedro National High School
St. Anthony's College
Wright Technological College
Notable personalities
Jerry Navarro Elizalde (1924–1999), Artist for Visual Arts, later proclaimed a National Artist
John Iremil Teodoro (b. 1973), Writer, university professor, freelance journalist
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