San Jose (; ), officially the Municipality of San Jose, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 21,956 people. It is the least populous town in Negros Oriental. San Jose is from Dumaguete. History The municipality of San Jose was formerly called "Ayuquitan", a name that was born due to a communication problem between the natives and Spanish Conquistadors. The story was that one day a group of Spaniards searching for flourishing communities came upon a group of natives harvesting rice. The Spaniards approached the natives and asked the name of the place while pointing to the ground filled with piles of rice chaffs. The natives thought they were asked for the name of the pile and answered "Inoquitan". From then on, the Spaniards called the place "Inoquitan". In time, the name "Ayuquitan" was adapted from the phrase "may inoquitan". In 1902 Governor Demetrio Larena considered the place as a pueblo. Pioneer Spanish Merchant is Manuel Pastor. San Jose is the home of the old Spanish families settled since 1871 like the Patero, Amiscaray, Larena, Pareja, Siglos, Remollo, Renacia, Remata, Araco, Tatel and Remoto. San Jose was created as a town in 1954 from the barrios of Ayuquitan, Basak, Basiao, Cambaloctot, Calo, Cancawas, Hanay-Hanay, Jilocon, Lalaan, Naiba, Tapon Norte, Tampi, and sitios Guinsayawan, Kang-atid, Kangdajonog, Guilongsoran and Kaputihanan of the barrio of Siapo, all of which formerly belonged to the former municipality of Ayuquitan and then part of the municipality of Amlan. Geography Barangays San Jose is politically subdivided into 14 barangays, shown here with population as of 2015 Census: Basak - 827 Basiao - 673 Cambaloctot - 652 Cancawas - 1,746 Janayjanay - 938 Jilocon - 1,944 Naiba - 790 Poblacion - 939 San Roque - 942 Santo Niño - 2,132 Señora Ascion (Calo) - 1,913 Siapo - 2,182 Tampi - 2,058 Tapon Norte - 2,677 Climate Demographics Economy Education The public elementary and secondary schools of San Jose are supervised by San Jose District of DepEd Division of Negros Oriental. Public Elementary Schools Alicia C. Calumpang Elementary School Basak Primary School Cancawas Primary School Crisostomo O. Retes Memorial Elementary School (Tampi Elementary School) Guilongsoran Primary School Janay-janay Elementary School Jose R. Remollo Elementary School Pedro A. Remoto Elementary School San Jose Central Elementary School San Roque Primary School Siapo Elementary School Sra. Ascion