Josefina, Zamboanga del Sur
Encyclopedia
Josefina is a 6th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines
. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 8,758 people in 1,773 households.
s.
With the rubber plantation, the place was then locally called as "Gumahan". This became a new trading center and small businesses came bustling. With the increased activity in this new location it was then christened as "Upper Bagong Tudela". This eventually became the center of the new community.
In the early 70s the people of Gumahan and its outlying barrios made a move, through the leadership of Nicholas Paredes, to create a town. They were able to submit the proposal to congress, through the sponsorship of then Cong. Cerilles, and it passed the 2nd congressional reading. Scheduled for the 3rd and final congressional reading before its township Martial Law was declared dissolving the Congress. The hope of the people to have a town of their own was dashed and the idea was set aside.
As to this day Josefina is still commonly known as "Gumahan".
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 8,758 people in 1,773 households.
Barangays
Josefina is politically subdivided into 14 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s.
- Bogo Calabat
- Dawa (Diwa)
- Ebarle
- Gumahan (Pob.)
- Leonardo
- Litapan
- Lower Bagong Tudela
- Mansanas
- Moradji
- Nemeño
- Nopulan
- Sebukang
- Tagaytay Hill
- Upper Bagong Tudela (Pob.)
History
In the early years the lands of which is now Josefina was part of the Municipality of Aurora. In later years Molave separated from Aurora and became a town; at that time Tambulig and the area now within the jurisdiction of the present municipality were still part of the former. Some years later Tambulg became independent and was recognized as a township with the land of Josefina still tagged as part of its territories. During this time the 1st Visayan settlers came to live in the area. These settlers came from Tudela Misamis Occidental, a barrio part of tambulig was established and was named Bagong Tudela. Some years passed and the Paredes family, one of the first settlers, was able to acquire properties there and named it "Salug Estate". A member of the family was a rubber technologist at that time and worked in Borneo. He brought along his learnings and expertise and together with the locals, "the subanons", planted his land with Rubber Trees. By then the Rubber Technologist, Nicholas Paredes, coined the name "New Town" for the new rubber plantation.With the rubber plantation, the place was then locally called as "Gumahan". This became a new trading center and small businesses came bustling. With the increased activity in this new location it was then christened as "Upper Bagong Tudela". This eventually became the center of the new community.
In the early 70s the people of Gumahan and its outlying barrios made a move, through the leadership of Nicholas Paredes, to create a town. They were able to submit the proposal to congress, through the sponsorship of then Cong. Cerilles, and it passed the 2nd congressional reading. Scheduled for the 3rd and final congressional reading before its township Martial Law was declared dissolving the Congress. The hope of the people to have a town of their own was dashed and the idea was set aside.
Township
In 1977, Antonio Cerilles (the then congressman who sponsored the proposal) contacted Nicholas Paredes (point person of the township proposal) to prepare the papers and documents so that it could be submitted again for approval. On November 11, 1978, by virtue of Presidential Decree 1240 Josefina was declared as a municipality. During this time Nicholas Paredes stood as the first Mayor (appointed). Mayor Paredes, in his efforts to improve the municipality, then donated the land where now stands the Market Area, the school, the Municipal Hall and the Catholic Church. The town center is also located within the properties of the Paredes family.As to this day Josefina is still commonly known as "Gumahan".