CAMINAWIT PORT, SAN JOSE, MINDORO

Caminawit obtained its name as a result of the inconvenience suffered by passengers from Manila who have to wait for the train that would bring them to Central. While waiting, the Americans used to remark "You come and wait." Those words were frequently uttered that, eventually, "come and wait" merged and became Caminawit.

Before Mindoro Sugar Company started its operation in 1911, American engineers built a railroad track that ran between the sugar central and Caminawit. This was done to facilitate the transport of supplies from Caminawit wharf to the company’s warehouse in Central and of thousands of bags of sugar from the sugar mill to the wharf. Near the wharf, the company built a canteen and storehouse for sugar

In 1964, when Philippine Milling Company stopped its operation due to heavy losses, the railroad track connecting Caminawit and Central was dismantled.

The Port of San Jose is the main port serving Occidental Mindoro. Main exports include rock salt, palay, rice, seafood, tobacco, bulbs and other agricultural products. Imports include cement, fertilizers and general commodities.

The port's power supply comes from the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO). There is also stand-by power available from a Philippine Port Authority (PPA) diesel generator set.

Reference: HISTORY OF SAN JOSE by Rudy Candelario. (http://sites.google.com/site/occidentalmindorohistory/historysanjose)