Santa Maria, officially the Municipality of Santa Maria, (formerly Imelda), is a 5th class
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Romblon
Romblon ( , ), officially the Province of Romblon, is an archipelagic province of the Philippines located in the Mimaropa region. Its main islands include Tablas, the largest, which covers nine municipalities; Sibuyan with its three towns; as w ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,989 people.
History
Santa Maria was known in Spanish times as ''Cagbagacay'', after a bamboo plant called ''"bagacay"'' in the local dialect, which was in abundance in the area. Back then it was still a barrio of
Guintigui-an town. In 1910, barrio Cagbagacay was renamed Concepcion after its patron the
Immaculada Concepcion.
[About Santa Maria](_blank)
Wikimapia. Retrieved on 2012-04-16.
On 12 September 1982, barrio Concepcion (Norte) together with barrios Bonga and Concepcion Sur were organized and created into a new municipality by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 234, authored by Assemblyman Nemesio Ganan Jr. The new municipality was named "Imelda", in honor of then First Lady
Imelda Marcos
Imelda Romualdez Marcos (; born Imelda Remedios Visitacion Trinidad Romualdez; July 2, 1929) is a Filipino politician who served as the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, wielding significant political power during the dictato ...
, as well as to distinguish the town from
Concepcion municipality on
Maestro de Campo Island, also in Romblon.
After the
People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...
in 1986 which toppled the regime of dictator
Ferdinand Marcos, the town was renamed Santa Maria on 17 April 1988 by virtue of Republic Act No. 6651, again in honor of its patron the Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
. Three new barangays were added to the municipality: San Isidro, Paroyhog, and Santo Nino.
Geography
Situated on the eastern side of
Tablas Island
Tablas is the largest of the islands that comprise the province of Romblon in the Philippines. The name of the island was of Spanish origin. Before the colonization of the Philippines, Tablas was known as the Island of ''Osigan''. At the time of ...
, Santa Maria faces the Sibuyan Sea. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of
San Agustin, in the south by the municipality of
Alcantara, in the west by the municipality of
Odiongan
Odiongan, officially the Municipality of Odiongan ( Asi: ''Banwa it Odiongan'', Filipino: ''Bayan ng Odiongan'', is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Romblon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 49,284 pe ...
and in the east by Romblon Pass. Santa Maria has a total land area of . It is generally mountainous with a limited portion of the plain area along the coast. The town is considered one of the most peaceful areas in the province.
Climate
Barangays
Santa Maria is politically subdivided into 6
barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...
s.
* Bonga
* Concepcion Norte (
Poblacion
''Poblacion'' (literally "town" or "settlement" in Spanish; ) is the common term used for the administrative center, central, downtown, old town or central business district area of a Philippine city or municipality, which may take up the ...
)
* Concepcion Sur
* Paroyhog
* Santo Niño
* San Isidro
Demographics
According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 8,508 people.
Onhan
Onhan is a regional language, regional Bisayan languages, Western Bisayan language spoken, along with the Romblomanon language, Romblomanon and Asi languages, in the province of Romblon, Philippines. The language is also known as ''Inunhan'' an ...
, also known as Taga-onhan or Inunhan (Alcantaranhon style), is the native language of majority of its inhabitants, while
Romblomanon or Ini is the native tongue in the two northern barangays of Bonga and Santo Niño (Bitaugan).
Economy
Government
Pursuant to Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the municipal government is composed of a
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
(alkalde), a
vice mayor
The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor, assistant mayor, or mayor ''pro tem'') is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many, but not all, local governments.
Duties and functions
Many elected depu ...
(bise alkalde) and
members
Member may refer to:
* Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon
* Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set
* In object-oriented programming, a member of a class
** Field (computer science), entries in ...
(kagawad) of the legislative branch
Sangguniang Bayan
The Sangguniang Bayan () is the local legislative branch of the municipal governments in the Philippines. It is responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions for the administration of a municipality. Its powers are defined by the Local Gov ...
alongside a secretary to the said legislature, all of which are elected to a three-year term and are eligible to run for three consecutive terms.
The incumbent mayor is Lorilie "Bic-Bic" Fabon y Manito y Fetalino while the incumbent vice mayor is Dennis Corpin y Fortu, nephew of the late
Calatrava mayor Prudencio Fortu.
Sister cities
*
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
: On 8 February 2008, Santa Maria Mayor Fred Hernandez and Makati Mayor
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III.
A h ...
signed a sisterhood relationship agreement between the two local government units.
Press Release.
Makati City Portal. Retrieved on 2012-04-16.
See also
*
References
External links
Santa Maria Profile at PhilAtlas.com
Santa Maria, Romblon Profile - Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
* Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>2007 Philippine Census Information
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Romblon