Buenavista, Agusan del Norte

Buenavista
Municipality
Municipality of Buenavista
{{safesubst:#property:P242}} Map of [[{{safesubst:#property:P131}}|{{safesubst:#property:P131}}]] with Buenavista highlighted
Buenavista Location within the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	[[{{safesubst:#property:P17}}]]
Region	Caraga (Region XIII)
Province	[[{{safesubst:#property:P131}}|{{safesubst:#property:P131}}]]
District	2nd district of Agusan del Norte
Founded	January 1, 1937
Barangays	25
Government
• Mayor	Norbert B. Pagaspas
Area
• Total	475.61 km2 (183.63 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	56,139
• Density	120/km2 (310/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	{{safesubst:#property:P281}}
Dialing code	+63 (0){{safesubst:#property:P473}}
Income class	1st

Buenavista is a first class municipality in the province of Agusan del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 56,139 people.

Barangays

Buenavista is politically subdivided into 25 barangays.

2

History

The written history of Buenavista start in the year 1877. It was said that during this year a group of nomadic Manobo from the frontiers of Agusan found an ideal place for their tempora-fishing retreat and rendezvous.

Soon, the village of Tortosa was founded by two Christian pioneers, Innocentes Paler and Marcelo Dalaguida, who were later on joined by Luis Gupana and a handful of Manobo. Credited with a name to the village were a group of natives and Spaniards who visited the place to trade with the villagers and found the place to be abundant with the sea tortoise.

The fame of Tortosa as a good fishing was heard by the people of the neighboring Butuan. Thus a fresh wave migrants came to settle. Notable of these new settlers were: Valeriano Farol, Mateo Bustillo, Anecito Sanchez, Sabas Galinato, Macario Sanchez, Lucas Yonson, Demetrio Ontong, Lino Danuco, Vicente Ebarle, Nicanor Beltran, Demetrio Mendoza, Teodoro Paculba, Marcelo Abad, Leon Manla, Marciano Bantolinao, and Matias Micabalo.

Later, the name Tortosa was renewed to Kihaw-an in memory of a white deer held sacred by the early earthen dwellers. It was said that this deer was found dead by the natives near the bank of the river which encircles the village. Its carcass was placed all over the village thus the village got the name Kihaw-an, a derivative of a local dialect "Baho-an", which literally mean to smell, or source of bad smell.

Soon the village got another new name. It was said that Adolfo Calo, a native of Butuan, together with some natives and Spaniards visited the place. They expanded their visits not only the coastal areas where flourishing because of the abundance of fish. At the top of the hill they saw the village overlooking the sea. They appreciated the beauty of nature in abundance. They exclaimed "Bien Vista", which means "Good View" thus the present name Buenavista.

Enticed by the abundance of fish and the good prospect for agriculture, a new wave migrants from the neighboring areas continued to flock to Buenavista. Between the years 1897-1907, the following settlers and their families were known to have settled in the place: Esteban Nakila, Francisco Beltran, Bruno Boya, Alejandro Espallona, Leocadio Cabonce, Ceferino Sobrecaray, Pablom Sison, Isidro Montilla, Maximo Bangahon, Ireneo Ontong, Balbino Espana, Mariano Makiling, Hilarion Espallona, Perfecto Bahian, Antonio Calo, Leon Magpatoc, Crisanto Hangayo, Ruperto Alaan, Crispin Balbucena and Jorge Aldac.

Between 1907 and 1920 the following people were said to have led their families and relatives and settled in this village: Sesinado Makiling, Gregorio Asilom, Glecerio Balansag,Sesinado Borja, Agustin Butron, Francisco Laolao, Vicente Soriano, Antonio Lumahan, Abdon Ebarle, Isaac Alaan, Carlos Concon, Vicente Abuzo, Fausto Abad, Sergio Danuco, Benito Buntag, Juan Apduhan, and Benito Cabit. During this years, the facilities for travel we have today were still unheard of. In fact, there was no road to talk about. The only means of transportation was by "banca" or fishing boats, and by horseback trudging the small mountain trails. For the most daring adventurous, days and weeks of hiking brought them to this prosperous village. Menace from brigands and bandits did not deter them from coming. Propelled by the hope of carving a new life this prosperous village, migrants continued to pour in and work together to develop the place. It was only sometime in the 1920s when Buenavista was connected to Butuan by the means of road. It was also given power by the Marcon Electric Company of the Marcon family but later on, operation was taken over by the government-owned electric distribution facility.

Efforts of the pioneers paid off, because sometime in early 1920s, Buenavista was declared a regular barrio of the then Municipality of Butuan. As a barrio, Buenavista was able to form its own law-making body which was locally called Ang Tingug Sa Lungsod, whose members were known as podientes. The following had at one time or another served as treasurers body: Luis Gupana, Lucio Kuizon, Apolonio Alaan and Placido Comiling. Simon Paler and Leonardo Boaquia served as secretaries. The barrio of Buenavista prospered by leaps and bounds due to the efforts of its officials. Worthy to mention were the barrio lieutenants and municipal councilors assigned in the barrio. The following were elected barrio lieutenants who took turns in running the affairs of the growing barrio: Luis Gupana, who served for 3 terms, Vicente Ebarle, Nicanor Beltan, Esteban Nakila, Perfecto Bahian, Balbino Espana, Francisco Beltran, Bruno Borja, Juan Maestrado, Rafael Mantilla, Ceferino Sobrecaray, Sesinado Makiling and Vicente Soriano who served for 3 terms. The following had at one time or another, served as councilors: Adolfo Sanchez, Moises Tolibas, Nicolas Ruiz, Teresio Villa, Leon Amoroso, Rafael Mantilla, Ignacio Destreza, Jose Aban, Macario Flores, Marcial Gerona, Domingo Cinco, Jorge Satorre, and Braulio Fumar. To the above-mentioned barrio officials, the inhabitants of Buenavista is so grateful for their successful stirring of the affairs of the barrio during its period of infancy. The efforts of these officials were not in vain.

On January 1, 1937 the barrio of Buenavista, by virtue of Executive Order No. 65 issued by Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, became the Municipality of Buenavista through the efforts of assemblyman Apolonio D. Curato and Governor Jose R. Rosales, commissioner of Mindanao and Sulu Teofisto Guingona Sr., and secretary of Interior, Elpidio Quirino, with a set of appointed officials to serve for a period of one year.

Demographics

Population census of Buenavista
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	39,331	—
1995	45,011	+2.56%
2000	50,612	+2.55%
2007	53,059	+0.65%
2010	56,139	+2.07%
Source: National Statistics Office

Schools and Institutions

Elementary

3

Secondary

• 'Buenavista SPED-ISS
• Buenavista Institute
• Buenavista National High School
• Saint James High School
• Guinabsan National High School
• Manapa ISS
• Sangay National High School
• Simbalan National High School
• Lekda National High School
• Agong-ong IS
• Rizal IS
• Alubijid IS
• Abilan IS

Tertiary

• Don Edgar Shemacio College
• Sulhayan Community College

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information