Municipal Profile
San Jose de Buenavista, Antique

San Jose de Buenavista is a 3rd class municipality having a population of 48,261 (as of 2000 census) or 9,639 households. Its projected population for year 2005 is 54,555. The average annual population growth rate is 2.54% (1995-2000) while population density is 10.85 persons/ ha or 1,885.2 persons/sq. km. It is the capital municipality of the province of Antique.

Composed of 28 barangays, San Jose has a total land area of 4,450 hectares. The upland area accounts for 10.90% while the lowland area, 89.10%.  It being a coastal municipality, it has abundant fishery resources with all its 13 coastal  barangays covered  under the Coastal Resource Management Program. It has an estimated coastline of 13.65 km.

Aside from fishing, people also depend on agriculture, business and employment for their sources of income.

In the middle of thirteenth century (year 1250), ten Bornean Datus and their wives, children, warriors servants and followers left Borneo and the cruelty, oppression and tyranny of Sultan Makatunao. They landed one day in December at Siriwagan, San Joaquin, Province of lloilo. After interrogating two Negritos, who were fishing, they were told that their leader, Chieftain Marikudo with his wife, Maniwantiwan were living in Sinugbo not far from the place. Then the Datus went downstream and found the Ati ruler. Negotiations were made and the ‘Barter of Panay" took place. Panay was bought in exchange for a gold salakot for Marikudo and a long, gold necklace for Maniwangtiwan. The other three datus sailed northward to Luzon, leaving the seven datus under the leadership of Datu Sumakwel.

Settlements after settlements were soon established from Malandog, which later spread outside of Malandog including Tubigon, now San Jose de Buenavista. A settlement was also established in Naganya (Egana). Barangay Odiong served as a water dock for boats of Malays coming from Malandog to eastern part of Hantique (Antique). To signal stopping and coming in of boats, the aduana (port) authorities made use of budyong or horns made from a carabao’s horn. The blowing of budyong took place at Telegrapo in Tubigon as this spot served as the signal and control tower. The rivers of Hantique (Antique) at that time were navigable, thus, the means of travel was by water.

The Spanish colonizers came to Hantique (Antique) in 1581 .With them came the Augustinian friars that Christianized the inhabitants who lived in Hamtic. They taught the people to believe in God and accept Christ as the Savior of the Roman Catholic faith. They built churches in Maybato, Asluman, Naganya (Egana) and Bugason (Bugasong).

There was no place called San Jose at that time. The place 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 has 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 the shore of 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 away from Mala-iba when their boat sank into the sea and in colloquial Spanish, Mala-iba means, ‘it had gone away", hence, the name of the place since then. It was in 1733 when San Jose, formerly called "Tubigon" was founded and in 1790, it acquired its land title through land grants issued by the then Governor-General Carlos Benequer de Marquina. Afterwards, it became a regular "curra"or parish having its first "curra paroco" or parish priest, Fr. Manuel Ibañes, OSA.

In 1872, San Jose became a town. Then in 1902, it was made the capital of the Province of Hantique (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) Hence, the present name, "San Jose de Buenavista."