San Jose, Province of Occidental Mindoro, Mimaropa, Philippines

🇵🇭 San Jose, officially the Municipality of San Jose (Bayan ng San Jose), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. It has a population representing a third of the provincial population, and is the largest among cities (excluding Puerto Princesa City) and municipalities in the Mimaropa region.

San Jose has the province's largest commercial port and airport, the most banking, business, dining and commercial establishments in Occidental Mindoro, and has become a centre of trade in the Mimaropa region. Its major local and international exports include rice, salt and processed milkfish. It was ranked 13th in "overall competitiveness" among Philippine local government units in the 2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).

In pre-colonial times, it was named Pandurucan by the indigenous Mangyans after the local river, before later renamed for its patron saint, St. Joseph, the husband of Mary.

History Historical records show that in the 14th century, Chinese traders anchored to trade at the shores of Mangarin, the oldest settlement in the southern portion of Occidental Mindoro. Its name was derived from the word “Mandarin”, an official Chinese Palace, the remains of which can still be found in the old barrio of Mangarin. The area was once a Sinified Buddhist state called Ma-i before the Sultanate of Brunei invaded. When the Spanish took possession of the Island in the 18th century, the first site of the Presidencia was built in sitio of Sinaoga, on the western side of Barrio Santa Teresa, now part of the municipality of Magsaysay. A year later, it was again transferred to Caminawit.

Archaeological evidence from caves and rockshelter sites in the island of Ilin indicate human habitation dating back thousands of years (Middle Holocene period, about 6,000 years ago).

American occupation On May 1, 1910, Pandurucan, which was renamed San Jose, became the seat of the Civil Government with Don German Ramirez as its first appointed leader up to 1915. When the Japanese Imperial Forces occupied the town, Bonifacio Gomez was appointed as Mayor from 1941 to 1942, followed by Pedro Cuden, 1942–1943 and finally Isabelo Abeleda, in 1944 until 1946. During the American reoccupation Bibiano Gaudiel replaced Isabelo Abeleda who regained his position in 1955.

History: World War II San Jose figures prominently in Philippine history for its role during World War II. American naval forces led by General Douglas MacArthur staged a so-called "Second Landing" in the beaches of San Jose (the "First" being the famous Leyte Landing) on December 15, 1944, to retake the Philippine islands from the Japanese (the Battle of Mindoro). Securing San Jose and the whole Mindoro island proved decisive in the goal to recapture Manila and Luzon, and the eventual defeat of the Japanese Imperial forces by Filipino and American troops.

Contemporary history In 1950, the Philippine government split Mindoro into two provinces, Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro. San Jose became the temporary capital until it was later transferred to Mamburao. With encouragement from the national government, migration into Mindoro in the years after World War II boosted population growth and spurred development. The Philippine Sugar Mill plantation in the northern Barangay Central helped San Jose become the centre of commerce in those years.

On April 3, 1969, the barrios of Alibog, Caguray, Calawag, Gapasan, Laste, Lourdes, Nicolas, Paclolo, Purnaga, Sibalat, and Santa Teresa was separated from San Jose to create a separate municipality known as Magsaysay.

During the 1970s, development has since shifted to what is now the poblacion area and neighboring barangays. The economic base also has widened to include rice, corn, tobacco, salt, and aquaculture production geared towards both the local Philippine and international markets.

Conversion into a city The Municipality of San Jose passed Resolution No. 0023 in 2001, seeking conversion to city status. In 2016, Congresswoman Josephine Ramirez-Sato filed House Bill No. 2164 which aims to convert San Jose into a component city.

Geography San Jose is 173 km (107 mi) from Mamburao. It is located at the southern part of the province with a total land area of 44,670 hectares (110,400 acres). San Jose is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Rizal and Calintaan, on the east by the municipalities of Mansalay and Bulalacao, on the south by the municipality of Magsaysay, and on the west by the Mindoro Strait. Its jurisdiction includes Ambulong and Ilin Islands.

Climatic condition is classified under Type A category and slope is generally flat. Soil composition developed from recent alluvial deposits which are silty-loam to clay loam and landforms consist of limestone and sedimentary rocks. All types of erosion are present: slight, moderate and severe erosion. Eleven (11) rivers and creeks, including the Pandurucan River which runs through the centre of town, serve as natural drainage. Mineral deposits includes copper and limestone.