History

The island of Limasawa in Southern Leyte has a very significant place in Philippine history. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan and his crew landed and celebrated a Roman Catholic Mass on the island, the first Christian celebration on Philippine soil. Magellan made peace with two Filipino rulers, Rajah Kolambu and Rajah Siani and a marker notes the spot on Limasawa where the blood compact was sealed.

Southern Leyte was, for centuries, an integral part of the island province of Leyte. During the Spanish period, the region was sparsely populated. Continued Moro slave raiding discouraged the establishment of large towns. In the 19^th century, immigration from the provinces of Cebu and Bohol increased the population of the region and opened the land to cultivation. However, owing to the difficulty of communication with the administrative centers in the north, towards the end of the Spanish government, there were separate administrative officials appointed to serve the southwestern area of the island.

In 1919, the first of several succeeding attempts was made to divide the island of Leyte into two entities, following geographic and ethnolinguistic lines. The southwestern portion of Leyte was predominantly Cebuano while the northeast was Waray. The measure was passed by the House of Representatives but defeated in the Senate. However, several more attempts were made to push for Leyte’s division. Finally, in May 1959, Republic Act No. 2227 authorizing the creation of the province of Southern Leyte was signed into law and a new province was established in July 1960.

People, Culture and the Arts

Southern Leyte's people are Cebuano-speakers whose ancestors migrated from the provinces of Bohol and Cebu. The people's cultural and linguistic affinities with the Cebuanos have tended to make the people of Southern Leyte identify with the people of Cebu, Bohol and the western coast of the province of Leyte. Most of the people are farmers and fisherfolk, who are noted for their hard work and frugality.

Almost 90% of the province’s people are adherents of the Roman Catholic Church but traditional folk beliefs still influence the people of the province. The farmers hold on to pre-Hispanic beliefs in making offerings and sacrifices before planting begins. Chickens of pigs are ritually sacrificed to ensure that the spirits or the elementals will allow a good harvest.

Maasin is Southern Leyte's commercial and cultural showcase. An important edifice that brings pride to the Southern Leyteño is the notable Spanish era church, a relic of time when churches were the only true refuge of the people, both spiritually and physically. The church is embellished with an ornate altar and beautiful images of the saints and is a testament to the continuing religiosity of the people of Southern Leyte.

In the hinterlands of the island of Panaon are found an aboriginal people known locally as the Kongkings. The short, dark and curly-haired members of this ethnic community are reputed to have migrated from Mindanao and usually keep to the interior areas. On occasion, they come down to barter and trade at the market town of Liloan.

Trade and Investments

Southern Leyte is accessible by land and sea. Regular boat trips from Manila take 27 hours while fast watercraft services from Cebu bring travelers to Maasin in just two and a half hours. Buses plying the Maasin–Tacloban route usually take five hours. Southern Leyte has a total land area of 173,480 hectares and a population of 321,940. The province’s resources include a 146,000 strong labor force with an employment rate of over 90%, tracts of fertile land good for agricultural and livestock production, coastal areas teeming with marine life, forest areas, and mineral reserves. Southern Leyte also possesses a number of scenic spots and historical landmarks.

Access to the province is facilitated by 12 seaports, most of which offer regular routes to Manila, Cebu and Surigao. A road network stretches 1,460 kilometers long and connects to the province to Mindanao through the Liloan Ferry Terminal. The province has a feeder airport that can accommodate aircraft for general aviation, although an airport terminal has yet to be built. There are four telecommunications companies operating in the province offering domestic and international long distance telephone services. Southern Leyte hosts a total of 13 banks, two of which are government owned, two are private commercial banks and the rest are rural banks. The power supply comes from the PNOC-NPC Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant and an 81-kilowatt mini-hydro electric plant situated in Hinbian, Catmon, St.Bernard. Water supply is primarily sourced from pumps, springs, shallow and deep wells.

The resources of Southern Leyte offer an array of business opportunities that include production of agricultural and livestock products, harvests of marine resources, and development of tourism-based ventures. Agricultural production in the province ranges from grains and tubers to fruits and vegetables. Livestock production is heavily focused on hog fattening while the poultry industry is predominantly concerned with broiler production. The harvest of marine resources mainly comes from a combination of light and commercial fishing methods although some have already ventured into aquaculture. Processing of agricultural, livestock and marine resources is in its infancy and merits closer consideration for possible business opportunities.

Much of Southern Leyte’s historical landmarks such as the Magallanes Shrine in Limasawa, site of the first Christian Mass, and tourist attractions like Lake Danao on top of Mt. Cabalian, the Cagnito-an subterranean river in Maasin and the beaches and fascinating coral formations around Panaon Island, remain untapped and undeveloped. With the increasing influx of tourists, ventures that will develop these sites promise good returns on investments.

Development Initiative Highlights

• To promote people empowerment
• To promote a humane society
• To reduce poverty incidence
• To attain food self-sufficiency
• To increase the ratio of industry and services sectors to agriculture from 10% to 30%
• To attain 40% forest cover and 60% agriculture and healthy marine life