San Jose, Romblon

San Jose
Municipality
Municipality of San Jose
Flag
Map of Romblon with San Jose highlighted
OpenStreetMap
San Jose Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°04′N 121°56′E / 12.07°N 121.93°E / 12.07; 121.93
Country	Philippines
Region	Mimaropa
Province	Romblon
District	Lone district
Founded	July 1, 1968
Barangays	5 (see Vice Mayor	Egdon T. Sombilon
• Representative	Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona
• Councilors	Gina Villanueva Milky Maming Argel "Ghel" Zacarias Ulysis Casimero Ex Tandog Ally Aron Edwin Abon Vilmo Sombilon, Jr.
•  ZIP code	5510
PSGC	1705914000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)42
Native languages	Onhan Ati Tagalog

San Jose, officially the Municipality of San Jose, is a 5th class

It is also known as Carabao Island, or Hambil Island, the southernmost island of the province.

Throughout much of its Spanish and American colonial history, the island and its inhabitants repeatedly changed hands between the political jurisdictions of

.

History

Early history

The original settlers of the island were the

, including Carabao Island where San Jose is located.

Spanish colonial era

According to Spanish explorer Miguel de Loarca's Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, Carabao Island was originally called “Hambil”. The Spanish arrived at Hambil Island in 1570, led by conquistador and explorer

Visayan

followers, Goiti and his team conquered the chief settlement of Agcogon and explored the island. He noted that there were around 50 natives living in the settlement, who made a living from mining copper in the island.

On 2 November 1571, the islands of

Roman Catholicism

.

Changes in jurisdiction

In 1716, Capiz was created into a separate province out of the old alcaldia of Arevalo, formerly called Panay. The new province included the islands of Romblon and the valley of Aklan in north-western Panay. Carabao Island was placed under the jurisdiction of the visita of Nabas, Capiz (now part of Aklan). When Looc in Tablas Island was established as a separate pueblo or town from Banton, Romblon in 1844, the administration of Carabao Island and its two existing barrios (villages) of Agcogon and Lanas, was transferred to the new pueblo.

On 19 March 1853, the Spaniards created the Politico-Militar Commandancia del Distrito de Romblon, a new district of Capiz. It was composed of four pueblos or towns, namely

and was placed under the command of petty governor Don Ramon Vieytes. Thus, Carabao Island, which was under the jurisdiction of Looc pueblo became part of the newly created District of Romblon.

In 1855, Romblon petty governor Don Joaquin de Prat ordered the creation of 17 new pueblos or town in Romblon, including pueblo de Cabalian (now part of Santa Fe). The order transferred the administration of Carabao Island and its two villages from Looc to Cabalian. However, pueblo de Cabalian was abolished in 1861, and following the abolition, residents of Carabao Island chose to be annexed back to Nabas, Capiz. On 11 January 1868, the District of Romblon was elevated into a province. A reorganization of the province's towns was conducted upon orders from governor Don Joaquin Corillo, which included restoration of Cabalian in 1892 into a pueblo, now renamed Santa Fe. In 1897, the residents of Carabao Island voted to rejoin Looc instead of the new pueblo of Santa Fe.

American invasion era

The

.

Following the restoration of Romblon province on 10 March 1917, Santa Fe was once again abolished and Carabao Island was again re-annexed to Looc. Another change in Romblon's political boundaries happened on 8 June 1940, when

passed Commonwealth Act No. 581 sponsored by Congressman Leonardo Festin, which created the special municipality of Tablas. With the creation of the special municipality, all the previous municipalities in Tablas Island were abolished and incorporated into the new municipality.

Philippine independence

After World War II, when American civil government was restored, the special municipality of Tablas was abolished on 1 October 1946 by virtue of Republic Act No. 38^[5] sponsored by Congressman Modesto Formelleza. Thus, the Santa Fe municipality was re-established, with Carabao Island under its administration. On 24 April 1959, two new barrios or villages, Busay and Pinamihagan, were created in Carabao Island by virtue of Republic Act No. 2144 authored by Congressman Jose D. Moreno

Carabao Island with its four villages was officially converted into a municipal district of Santa Fe on 18 June 1961 by virtue of Republic Act No. 3423, sponsored by Congressman Moreno. On 18 June 1966,^[6] the island municipal district was renamed San Jose by virtue of Republic Act No. 4829. In 1968, a new barrio, Combot, was added to the island, taken from portions of barrio Poblacion and Lanas.

San Jose was retroactively declared an independent municipality of Romblon on 1 July 1968 by virtue of Executive Order No. 184.^[7]

Geography

San Jose is located at Carabao Island off the southern tip of

and foreigners alike. San Jose is separated from Boracay by a narrow body of sea called Hambil Channel.

San Jose has a total land area of 22.05 square kilometers (8.51 square miles). The island municipality has a diverse geographic profile, with an irregular coastline dotted by white sand beaches that are becoming an alternative tourist destination to neighboring Boracay. Its interior is characterized by undulating hills covered with lush rainforest and coconut trees.

Barangays

San Jose is politically subdivided into 5

sitios

.

• Busay
• Combot
• Lanas
• Pinamihagan
• Poblacion (Agcogon)

Climate

Demographics

Population census of San Jose

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1970	4,562	—
1975	5,352	+3.25%
1980	5,797	+1.61%
1990	7,139	+2.10%
1995	7,713	+1.46%
2000	8,226	+1.39%
2007	9,428	+1.90%
2010	10,294	+3.25%
2015	10,881	+1.06%
2020	11,759	+1.54%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][10][11][12][13]

According to the 2020 census, San Jose has a total population of 11,759. The municipality has a population density of 534 persons per square kilometer. In 2013, San Jose had 6,662 registered voters distributed into 38 precincts, according to the COMELEC.

San Jose's population is composed mainly of

.

Majority of the island's population are

.

Economy

in Tablas Island, and Boracay in Aklan.

Transportation

As an island municipality, the only means to reach San Jose is via sea travel. There are several sea routes going to the island. From

pump boats

or bancas going to San Jose. From Caticlan, there are bancas as well that take passengers to San Jose. The island is approximately a 45-minute boat ride from either Santa Fe or Caticlan. San Jose has a municipal port in Barangay Poblacion where passengers and cargo disembark.

Another mode of travel is by air. AirAsia, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have daily trips to Caticlan Airport from where passengers can take bancas to San Jose. Cebu Pacific also has flights four times week to Tugdan Airport in Alcantara, Romblon, where passengers can take a jeepney to Santa Fe and a boat to San Jose.

San Jose's five barangays are connected by a circumferential road, where the common mode of transportation are passenger

, known elsewhere as habal-habal.

Government

Local government

As a municipality in the Province of Romblon, government officials in the provincial level are voted by the electorates of the town. The provincial government have political jurisdiction over local transactions of the municipal government.

Pursuant to Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991,

or town council, alongside a secretary to the said council, all of which are elected to a three-year term and are eligible to run for three consecutive terms. San Jose's incumbent mayor and vice mayor as of 30 June 2019 are Ronnie Samson and Egdon Sombilon from LAKAS and NPC, respectively.

The

The barangays have SK federation which represents the barangay, headed by SK chairperson and whose members are called SK councilors. All officials are also elected every three years.

References

External links

• San Jose Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• San Jose, Romblon Profile - Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System