Tudela is a 5th class municipality in the province of Cebu and one of the towns that composes the 5th congressional district of the province. It is one of the four municipalities of the Camotes Group of Islands in the northeastern part of the province.
The town is located in the island of Poro, one of the three islands of the Camotes Group of Islands and has a distance of 8 kilometers away from the town of Poro. While the municipality of Poro bordered the east, the municipality of Pilar is found at the north and the Camotes Sea on both south and west sides.
With a total land area of 32.41 square kilometers, it is politically subdivided into 11 barangays which include the two divisions of the town proper. These barangays are Buenavista, Calmante, Daan Secante, General, McArthur, Northern Poblacion, Southern Poblacion, Puertobello, Santander, Secante Bag-o and Villahermosa.
Agriculture and Fishing are main obvious industries in the place. But still, the town is visited for its stimulating activities and attractions such as caves for spelunking and beaches and sanctuaries for scuba diving, snorkeling and other water-related activities.
How The Town Got Its Name?
Before the town was named Tudela, it was called by the residents as “Tag-Anito” because of the inhabitants’ practice of worshipping anitos or spirits. On September 2, 1892 to be exact, a Spanish friar Ramon Alegria was assigned in the place and renamed it into Tudela, a beautiful city in Spain where the priest originally came from.
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.
How to Get There:
In order to reach the island of Poro, one needs to ride a boat, either a large pump boat or a fast craft, to Poro port. Travel time depends on the boat of your choice, pump boats will take 3-5 hours while fast crafts take only 1 ½ hours.
For ground transportations, motorcycles and jeepneys drivers are eager to give visitors a ride from Poro to Tudela. Prices change without prior notice, but advanced arrangements are better.
