Tolosa
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Source of Text: "Leyte Towns", Welcome Back to Tacloban, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Photographs: Graham Naylor
| In the eastern part
of Leyte two kilometres south of Cabuynan, nestled at the
foot of the Inapusong Mountain lies, the quaint and
picturesque town of Tolosa. It is bounded on the east by
the Leyte Gulf, by the rich plains of San Vicente on the
west and by the Laberanan Mountain on the south. Mount Inapusong is considered a historical landmark of the province because of the role it played during the time when Leyte had to fight the moro pirates. |
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| The place, according
to legend, was dominated by three warring chieftains.
Daginot, foremost among them, provoked the ire of the
other two when he hurled a huge rock that fell into the
area of Tostosanay. The heavy rock sank deeply that it
formed a river flooding the place now known as the Lad-an
river. Tostosanay returned a similar blow that formed the
Pamalbagan River. |
| Tearing another rock from the mountain, Daginot threw it this time into Bankaw's territory. Bankaw was furious so he retaliated by hurling his spear into Daginot's sector thus forming what is now Kabuyuan River, making it the third one. Seeing the destruction wrought by their senseless fighting, the three warriors decided to call a truce. Sensing that providence must have willed them to work together in harmony and peace, they agreed to stop their wars and defend themselves together from the moro pirates. |  |
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They
called the place "Tolosa" symbolizing the three
tribes united, "an tolo nag usa." A watch tower
was built atop Mt. Inapusong and from there, the people
were warned of the impending approach of these
pirates.The early settlers were inhabitants of Burauen.
In those days, Tolosa was still a part of Tanauan.
Through the ceaseless efforts of Magdaleno Vivero and
Domingo Camacho, Tolosa was granted autonomy from
Tanauan. The climate of
Tolosa is fresh and invigorating for it faces the
beautiful Pacific Ocean. |
The municipality is ideally located with the famous Pan-Philippine highway passing through the midsection of its commercial and residential district. Tourists pass through the place on their way
to the Dorelco Plant at San Roque and the Nutripak Plant
in Tanghas. The municipality is also criss-crossed by all
weather roads extending to all 12 barangays making it
easy for farmers to transport their products. |
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| The
majority of the populace are Roman Catholics and this
explains the presence of a modern and beautiful church
remodeled with the help of the First Lady and Metro
Manila Governor Imelda Romualdez Marcos, beloved daughter
of Tolosa. Adjacent to the church is the newly-finished
Parish Convent also built with the help of the First
Lady. The municipality's patron saint is St. Michael the Archangel. Under his protection, Tolosa is proud of its sons and daughters who have succeeded in their endeavors. Natives of Tolosa have gone to places both far and near but during the fiesta celebration, they usually come back to their home town to pay homage and thanksgiving to their revered patron saint so that the evening after the feast day is a special night in honor of all "balik-bayans," it being their night of homecoming. |
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