San Jose, Batangas

San Jose is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. The municipality is bounded by Lipa City in the north and northeast, the municipality of Ibaan in the east, Batangas City and municipality of San Pascual in the south, and the municipality of Cuenca in the west. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of more than 51,965 people in 10,123 households.

Established on April 26, 1765 as the town of San Jose de Malaquing Tubig, it once formed part of the Municipality of Bauan, and was the mother of the Municipality of Cuenca.

San Jose is well known for growing good varieties of coffee, lanzones, and black pepper. It is where a great number of poultry and piggery animals are grown and sold, especially to Metro Manila, where it supplies a significant percentage of poultry products. Most of the San Jose workforce is either directly or indirectly involved in farming. There are also numerous feedmill corporations within its jurisdiction such as WhiteGold, Everlast, Busilac, Wincom, New Golden Mix, to name a few. The municipality boasts as having one of the most prosperous coffee and poultry farms in the Philippines.

The Shrine of St. Joseph the Patriarch is located in the town proper and is a popular Catholic pilgrimage site. It was once built with cogon and bamboo by Augustinian friars around 1788. The present structure was built on 1812 under the supervision of a famous botanist Fr. Manuel Blanco, OSA. It has single-aisled interior which offers an unobstructed view of the large main altar. The altar is massive, with six rounded columns encircling the image of St. Joseph. Outside a multi-tiered belfry stands which was built in the latter part of the 19th century; a bridge offers passage to the church over the Malaquing Tubig River.

San Jose is home to the Oblates of St. Joseph Mission and its Minor Seminary, founded by the Saint Joseph Marello. The Oblates were the first Italian congregation to send missionaries to the Philippines. San Jose became their first foreign mission. San Jose is the center of the Vicariate IV of the Archdiocese of Lipa.

San Jose celebrates Sinuam Festival every 25th day of April to commemorate its founding anniversary and to thank its patron for the good performance of the main business in the town which is Poultry.

Barangays

San Jose is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.

* Aguila * Anus * Aya * Bagong Pook * Balagtasin I * Balagtasin II * Banaybanay I * Banaybanay II * Bigain I * Bigain II * Calansayan

* Dagatan * Don Luis * Galamay-Amo * Lalayat * Lapolapo I * Lapolapo II * Lepute * Lumil * Natunuan * Palanca * Pinagtung-Ulan

* Poblacion Barangay I * Poblacion Barangay II * Poblacion Barangay III * Poblacion Barangay IV * Sabang * Salaban * Santo Cristo * Mojon-Tampoy * Taysan * Tugtug * Bigain South

Notable people from San Jose

* Hon. Roman A. Ozaeta: Associate Justice of The Supreme Court (1941–1946 and 1948-1950), Secretary of Justice (1946-1948), Solicitor General (1938-1941) and Author.
* Hon. Querube C. Makalintal: Chief Justice of The Supreme Court (1973-1976), Speaker Of The Batasan Pambansa (1978-1984) and Solicitor General (1954).
* Dr. Concepcion A. Aguila: Outstanding Educator, Author, The first woman to graduate with a doctoral degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and the first Graduate School Dean of Centro Escolar University. (The City of Manila renamed Tuberias Street near Malacañang Palace as "Concepcion A. Aguila Street")
* Hon. Bonifacio Masilungan: Vice Governor of Batangas.
* Hon. Juan Ona: Philippine Ambassador.

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]
* [http://www.sanjosebatangas.org/ San Jose on the Web]