History

Long before the Spanish regime, this spot was unknown to history because this place could not be considered even a sitio( a portion of a barangay) for it is a great stretches of bush land. This place then was yet enveloped with darkness and wilderness. Few families of natives who were wild settled this place. The municipality was not the exception of being peopled by the natives before the coming of the Commissioner. Although there were tribal in fighting, they have also their own system of barangay government ruled by their chieftain Datu. Certainly, it was the land with abundance of wild life and fertile soil. However, during the conquistadors’ period, the invading Spanish-Filipino soldiers and priest headed by Father Saturnino Urios humbled the local paladins of Sta. Josefa. They were easily converted to Christianity and grasped the teachings of Jesus Christ so religiously that later they became subservient of the power of the cross.

Then, the early settlers from the Visayan Islands in 1946 pioneered in the development of the place, which is now the Poblacion. The families were that of: Dafroso Quijada, Juan Otacan, Aurelio Cagatin, Sr., Jose G. Lagonero, Sr., Enrique L. Lara, Sr., and Domingo Rosales. The natives and the early settlers during that time were in conflict due to land acquisition. One of the leaders who successfully organized this village into a Barangay was the late Primo Quijada. As the Americans came, they took supervision of the place and established primary schools.

During the Commonwealth Government under President Manuel L. Quezon, there was a complete supervision on Local Government and the late Primo Quijada became the first official who administered this barangay. Sta. Josefa got its name through a willful and wholehearted intention of a man who was then one of the most prestigious person throughout Mindanao and Sulu during that time. It was during the advent of the American regime in the country, Hon. Teofisto Guingona Sr. who was the so-called Commissioner of Mindanao and Sulu, visited the place sometime between 1944-45 and then officially proclaimed the name of the place as Josefa in honor of his wife, Josefa Guingona.

The village progress in the course of years inhabited by people with mixed culture but one religion with one objective, to carve the niche of destiny so that one day, it will become a municipality.