Buenavista, officially the Municipality of Buenavista (), is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Marinduque Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac, the most popul ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,043 people, making it the least populated municipality in the province. Buenavista is from

Boac British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the British state-owned national airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II. After the ...

Etymology

The town was named "Buenavista" by Don Cornelio Sadiua, due to its "good view." Its former name was Sabang, which is the river that runs through it. The majority of Buenavistans trace their ancestry to the Don Cornelio Sadiua family.

History

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Buenavista at Patay Ilog before making their way to the capital. Due to its rugged terrain, relative isolation, and fierce pro-American sentiment, Buenavista was the headquarters for the resistance movement. Japanese forces and the Resistance and guerrillas frequently engaged in skirmishes within the town borders. Occupying Japanese forces burned the school and municipal building, after holding captives composed a member from each Buenavista family. Guerrilla forces eventually re-captured the town. The 'Libas Ambush, known locally as ''Pinag Labanan'', was a joint guerrilla-Buenavistan effort in which Filipino guerrillas and Buenavistans ambushed and killed a troop of Japanese soldiers. After which the Japanese commandant issued a proclamation that for 1 Japanese soldier killed by the Filipinos in Buenavista, 10 Filipinos will die within a 5-mile radius. In spite of the Japanese threats the Buenavistans continued their fight against Japanese occupation throughout the war, including rescuing and hiding several the combined Filipino and American military personnel during the war. One such rescue occurred shortly after the fall of Bataan, when the lighthouse keeper found an American seaman hiding among the shoreline rocks. These rescued Filipinos and Americans were clothed, fed and hidden by the Buenavistans, even though they risked execution if the Japanese found out about it. In 1945, the combined U.S. and Allied Philippine Commonwealth military forces landed at Caigangan beach in Buenavista and attacked from the Japanese Imperial forces in the Battle of Marinduque. The Buenavista Campaign was the first major offensive fought during the Battle of Marinduque. It culminated in a bloody firefight between the Japanese and a joint Allied- Filipino guerrilla offensive. The Japanese, who were headquartered in the Municipal building and elementary school, were soundly defeated. Buenavista was chosen as the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the U.S. Army Signal Corps due to their record of anti-Japanese actions during the war. The U.S. Army Signal Corps and the 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army were quartered in Pablo Pe's bodega in the town. The longest-serving mayor was Recaredo Sarmiento. His term was interrupted during World War II. The first Chinese-Filipino mayor was Wilfredo Sadiua Pe.

Geography

Barangays

Buenavista is politically subdivided into 15

barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...

s. Each barangay consists of

purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...

s and some have

sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...

. * Bagacay * Bagtingon * Barangay I (

Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...

) * Barangay II (

) * Barangay III (

) * Barangay IV (

) * Bicas-bicas * Caigangan * Daykitin * Libas * Malbog * Sihi * Timbo (Sanggulong) * Tungib-Lipata * Yook

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Buenavista, Marinduque, was 26,043 people, with a density of .

Economy

Locally crafted products include: * Kalamay-hati: A type of coconut jam made from coconut cream and sugar or molasses *

Maja blanca ''Maja blanca'' () is a Filipino dessert with a gelatin-like consistency made primarily from coconut milk. Also known as coconut pudding, it is usually served during '' fiestas'' and during the holidays, especially Christmas. Description ''Ma ...

: A type of coconut pudding * Suman: A dessert/snack made of sticky rice and coconut steamed in leaves. * Puto: A steamed rice cake. *

Bagoong ''Bagoóng'' (; ) is a Philippine condiment partially or completely made of either fermented fish (''bagoóng isdâ'') or krill or shrimp paste (''bagoóng alamáng'') with salt. The fermentation process also produces fish sauce known as ''pat ...

: A traditional fish paste made using fresh local/sustainable ingredients.

Tourism

* The Palengke Seaside Cultural Arts and Entertainment Pavilion: A local gathering place for Buenavista events, parties, and exhibitions. * Malbog Hot Springs: Located in the Malbog district. These are hot sulfur springs, heated by the volcanic

Mount Malindig Mount Malindig (also known as Mount Malindik and Mount Marlanga) is a large potentially active stratovolcano on the island of Marinduque in the Philippines. It is the highest peak in the island having an elevation of above sea level. The nam ...

. They reputedly have therapeutic and healing properties. * Elephant Island (previously Isla Perro): Located off the coast of Buenavista in the shadow of Malindig. In the 1970s the island was for sale at a price of 3000 pesos. In 2009, Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa opened in this island. * Inuman Bato (Drinking Rock): Located in Suk'an district. It is a tidal pool on the beach that is submerged in the sea during high tide. At low tide, the pool is filled with drinkable, fresh water. It was reportedly featured in the popular "

Ripley's Believe It or Not! ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals with bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' ...

" newspaper serial during the 1950s. * Pablo Pe's Bodega: Located on Don Cornelio Street, next to the Pe House. This humble structure served as the headquarters of the United States Army Signal Corps during the Liberation.

Events

* Santo Nino Festival: A four-day festival of food, fun and family-friendly activities and events. It is held annually in January. * Flores de Mayo: This celebration is held yearly from May 1 through May 31. It is in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The children of Buenavista give gifts of bouquets and wreaths of native flowers to the Blessed Virgin.

Government

List of former local chief executives

* Agaton Sarmiento ------- 1918-1925 * Ciriaco Arevalo -------- 1925-1931 * Vitaliano Salvacion ---- 1931-1934 * Cesar Nepomuceno ------- 1934-1937 * Jose Salvacion -------------- 1934-1941 * Teofisto Jamolin ------------ 1941-1944 * Jose Sarmiento -------------- 1944-1945 * Jose Salvacion -------------- 1945-1946 * Recaredo Sarmiento ---------- 1946-1947 * Recaredo Sarmiento ---------- 1947-1956 * Vitaliano Salvacion --------- 1956-1958 * Josefina Sadiwa ------------- 1958-1959 * Claudio Mabunga ------------- 1959-1967 * Wilfredo S. Pe -------------- 1967-1972 * Wilfredo S. Pe -------------- 1972-1980 * Renato S. Madrigal ---------- 1980 * Ofelia S. Madrigal (OIC) ----- 1980-1988 * Ofelia S. Madrigal ---------- 1988-1992 * Wilfredo S. Pe -------------- 1992-1995 * Ofelias S. Madrigal --------- 1995 * Russel S. Madrigal ---------- * Nancy C. Madrigal ---------- 2022 * Eduard L. Siena ---------- Present

Education

Tertiary

*Marinduque Victorians College

Secondary

* Buenavista National High School *Buenavista National High School - Bagacay Annex *Buenavista National High School - Daykitin Annex *Buenavista National High School - Lipata-Tungib Annex *Buenavista National High School - Sihi Annex *Yook National High School

Primary

References

External links

Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) is a systematic classification and coding for geographic areas in the Philippines. It classifies areas based on the country's four levels of administrative divisions: regions, provinces, municipalities ...

br>Philippine Census Information
{{Authority control Municipalities of Marinduque