Municipality of Tudela

Tudela Town Hall

" Tag-Anito " is first name of the place, and it was renamed by a Spanish friar Ramon Alegria on 1892 into Tudela, a beautiful city in Spain where the priest originally came from. Tudela was once part of the town of Poro one of its barrio. In 1934 a group of promenint residents petitioned to then Speaker of the house of representatives Sergio Osmeña to make it municipality.
Tudela is a 5th class municipality with population of 11,266 (2007 census), it is administratively subdivided into 11 barangays:

Buenavista, Calmante, Da-an Secante, General, McArthur, Northern Poblacion, Puertobello, Santander, Bag-o Secante, and Villahermosa.


                               Tag-anitohan Festival

The Cebuano town of Tudela on Poro Island is renowned for its Tag-anitohan Festival, a fiesta that showcases the unique Filipino amalgam of Christianity and paganism. During this  festival, various street parades showcase the town's history of worship of spirits, known locally as 'anito'; 'tag-anitohan' literally means 'place of spirits.' A highlight of this festival is a series of dances featuring the reenactment of the rescue of townspeople from Moro invaders by Mandayang, a warrior who used native talismans to summon spirits and defeat the intruders.

Brgy. Hall-Northern Poblacion

Executive/Legislative Building

Tudela Pier

Bukilat Cave

Pier - Puertobello

Bukilat Cave

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Hagutapay Pier-Puertobello

Resort in Puertobello, Tudela

Hagutapay, Puertobello

Bukilat Cave -brgy. McArthur

Bukilat cave is one of the main tourist attraction in Camotes . It is one of the 8 natural caves in the islands and is the most prominent. It is believed to be named after the founder’s name, Bukilat. A long time ago, Bukilat Cave used to be the shelter for the people living in the island from the Japanese invaders during World War II. It has been rumored to have hidden treasures scattered throughout this area.  Bukilat Cave boasts its icy-cool water coming from an unknown source. Many believed that the water came from an underground spring and the droplets from the stalactites. Some of the water flows out to the nearby sea. It is situated in McArthur, Tudela, Poro Island,

                                                                       

                                                                   HISTORY

Based on the research at the National Archives in Metro Manila, the creation of the place as Tag-Anito was approved on May 20, 1892 by the Consejo de Administration through the petition letter of Pedro Solano, the then cabeza de barangay. On the same year, the name was changed into Tudela.

Many individuals assumed the position left by Pedro Solano as the head of the village. They were Marcelo Reusora, Benedicto Solante, Victoriano Solante, Sotero Martinez, Lino Polancos, Ruperto Labajo, Fernando Polancos, Ponciano Estremos, Leon Pesquera, Anastacio Baring, Ignacio Labayan Sr., Victorio Enero and Faustino Lanuza.

Tudela was once part of the bigger town of Poro as one of its barrios. While the late President Sergio Osmeña was then the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a group of prominent residents of Tudela led by Juan Pugosa, together with Eustaquio Polancos, Gervasio Zarsona, Santiago Maroda, Felix Solante, Ramon Martinez, Salvador Roxas and Eulogio Belarmino, petitioned to the Speaker in behalf of the Tudelanons to make it a municipality.

Not long thereafter, the Speaker fulfilled the townsfolk’s desire and Tudela became a separate municipality. Juan Pugosa was elected to be the first president and erected the first municipal building and the first primary school building.

Many followed Juan Pugosa as the municipal president. Emiliano Oyao was elected as the first Municipal Mayor in 1934.

The town is dwelt with Roman Catholics mostly. Every December 8, Tudela observes its annual fiesta celebration in honor of its patroness, Immaculate Conception