About Santa Teresita

Etymology

The municipality of Santa Teresita was formerly called Barrio Namunit is known as the largest barrio in the Municipality of Buguey. It is located about fifteen (15) kilometers east of its mother town.
With the introduction of the logging industry by business entrepreneurs from Manila, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pangasinan, and even as far as Quezon Province, the usually quiet barrio of Namunit suddenly became a bustling noisy community in the early ’50s. There were four (4) logging firms that exploited the accessibility of Barrio Namunit to the rich Sierra Madre Mountain and likewise its proximity to the navigable rivers and the China Sea. Thus, more and more people from these provinces flocked and migrated to Namunit. Some of them got married and stayed for good. Long before the introduction of the logging business, people from Abra and Ilocos provinces found their way to this place through the sea in search of fertile soils suitable for agriculture. Ilocano customs and traditions are therefore predominant in the locality.

Creation

On June 22, 1963, Republic Act (RA) No. 3728 was promulgated creating the municipality of Santa Teresita formerly known as Barrio Namunit. It was formally inaugurated as a municipality on August 27, 1963. It is composed of initial nine (9) barangays namely Alucao, Buyun, Dungeg, Luga, Masi, Mission, Namunit, Villa, and Tuyo. Barrio Namunit was the seat of local government being the most strategic and progressive location. This was later created into two (2) barrios namely Centro East and Centro West. Barangay Mission which is one among the barrios of Santa Teresita is believed to be a place historical with importance being the landing site of the Spanish Missionaries led by Juan de Salcedo of Spain in the year 1557. The mouth of the Mission River where they entered was believed to be the convergence area with the Rio Grande de Cagayan (Cagayan River) to the sea at that time.

Santa Teresita at Present

Sta. Teresita is a 4th class municipality with 4 urban barangays and 9 rural barangays. Primarily an agricultural town with rice and corn as the major products. For tourism potential, the municipality is capable to offer natural attraction (caves & falls), cultural and historical heritage site and the bakong industry.
The state of economy and development of Sta. Teresita is continuously gaining its momentum by continuously exceeding its gross collections with an average growth rate of 14.15%.

Socio-economic and Political Development

Because of its strategic location as a potential trade center in the Northeastern Cagayan, its geophysical attributes that make logging business a good venture, its fertile soils that ensure a good harvest, its rivers, and creeks as an outright source of food, and through its industrious inhabitants, the pace of development in Barrio Namunit then was so tremendous. It became a political bull work as far as the municipality of Buguey was concerned. With this Development surfacing in the early ’60s, the pioneer residents portrayed their political maturity by seeking the assistance of the 5th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines for the creation of the municipality of Santa Teresita. And a bill was filed for this purpose.
Today, Santa Teresita is now composed of thirteen barangays with a total land area of approximately 16,727.07 hectares of plains, mountains, and swampy lands. Santa Teresita is one of the smallest and youngest towns in the province in terms of population, land area, and revenues, but it has all the potentials to competitively arise with the already established towns in the north. The following is the list of Municipal Mayors who served the town since its creation in 1963 to wit;

Hon. Laureano P. Javier (1963-1967) – appointed/elected
Hon. Gabriel P. Sevilleja, Sr. (1967-1980) – elected
Hon. Bernoli P. Arquero (1980-1987) – elected
Hon. Anastacio T. Avila (1987-1988) – appointed
Hon. Francisco C. Sevilleja (1988-1998) – elected
Hon. Marco Francisco Sevilleja (1998-1999) – elected
Hon. Romeo S. Garcia (1999- 2010) – elected
Hon. Lolita C. Garcia (2010- 2019) – elected
Hon. Rodrigo P. De Gracia (2019- Present) – elected

Recent Recognition and Awards Obtained from International / National / Regional or Private Award Giving Bodies

The municipality of Santa Teresita, a 4th Income Class Municipality has been receiving various recognitions and awards given by the national, regional, and provincial award-giving bodies. Few to mention are the following:

Seal of Good Local Governance – DILG, Year 2019
First Prize Winner, Arts and Crafts Showcase – NCCA, Year 2018
Seal of Child Friendly Local Governance – DILG, Year 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
13^th Most Competitive Municipality in the Philippines (3^rd to 6^th Class) – NCCP, Year 2017
Seal of Good Housekeeping Award – DILG, Year 2011