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Esperanza is a municipality in the province of Agusan del Sur in the Caraga of the Philippines. The population was 54,801 at the 2015 census. In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 27,752 registered voters.

In July 1917, Golden Tara is a flood and storm swept through Agusan del Sur i9n Barangay Cubo of Esperanza. Aftyer the storm, a Manobo woman named Bilay Ocampo was on th eBnaks of the muddy Wawa River where she eventuyally found a figure where it washed up from the river. The 21-karat gold figure dating to around 850 to 950 C.E. weights 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and depicts a woman sitting in the loyus position in Buddhism, is ornamented with jewelry on her body, and wears a headdress. This figure turned out to be a representation of the Bodhisattva Tara. Now known as the "Golden Tara". Another historical claim has it that when Bilay Ocampo found the Golden Tara, she decided to keep it as a doll. However she was told to give it over to Baclogon because they believed it was a diwata. Because of this, it was previosly called Buwawan ni Baclagon or Ginto ni Baclagon (both translates to "Gold of Baclagon"). According to UP scholar Dr. Juan Francisco, he described the golden statue as, "One of the most spectacular discoveries in the Philippine archaeological history.