![[Biliran, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-bil.gif)
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
Last modified: 2004-03-06 by rob raeside
Keywords: eastern visayas | leyte | samar | biliran | tacloban | ormoc | calbayog |
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The Philippine Republic's Region VIII, Eastern Visayas, comprises six provinces on three principal islands (each province includes nearby islets).
Flag images here drawn after Symbols of the State, published by the Philippines Bureau of Local Government.
See also:
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
The island of Biliran, a province since 1992, is the newest province in the
region, and, with 140,000 inhabitants on 555 sq. km., the smallest in both
population and area. It is divided
into eight towns, of which Naval is the capital.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Leyte, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-ley.gif)
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
South of Biliran is the island of Leyte, divided into the two provinces of Leyte
and Southern Leyte. Leyte has a population of 1,572,000 in
Tacloban City (the capital), Ormoc City, and forty-four
towns. The island is unusually rich in history. Magellan visited here,
and the first Christian mass in the Philippines was apparently celebrated on
Leyte on Easter Sunday, 1521. The Leyteños, among the first Filipinos to welcome
the Spaniards, were also among the first to take up arms against them. It was on
Leyte that Gen. Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines in 1944,
accompanied by President Sergio Osmeña and Gen. Carlos P. Romolo of the
Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands. A town in Leyte is named MacArthur. To
the east was fought on 24-26 October 1944 the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which noted
naval historian Commodore Samuel Eliot Morison calls "the greatest naval battle
of all time," and the last in which capital ships formed line of battle and
exchanged cannon-fire. It was disastrous to the Japanese. Hill 120 on Leyte,
where American soldiers raised the Stars and Stripes less than two hours after
their landing, is a memorial to the victors in that war, one of many. There is
also a memorial to the Japanese war dead, which the Japanese maintain and visit,
one of several in the Philippines; and there is a monument to
Philippine-Japanese friendship, again one of several.
John Ayer, 15 February 2001
![[Tacloban City, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-tc.gif)
by
Dirk Schönberger,
12 January 2001
Source: Symbols of the state
The capital of the province of Leyte is Tacloban City. The provincial capitol
was the seat of the Philippine government after the Allied landing. The houses
where Gen. MacArthur and Pres. Osmeña lived are preserved. The city is also home
to several universities, museums, monuments, a Buddhist temple, etc., and many
fine beaches. Its population is 179,000.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Ormoc City, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-or.gif)
by
Dirk Schönberger,
12 January 2001
Source: Symbols of the state
Ormoc City is adorned by Tongonan Hotsprings National Park and Lake Danao. Its
population is 146,000.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Southern Leyte, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-sle.gif)
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
Southern Leyte has 358,000 inhabitants in nineteen towns, of which Maasin is the
capital. The two provinces were divided in 1959.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Western Samar, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-wsa.gif)
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
North of Leyte is the slightly larger island of Samar, divided into
three provinces, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar, also known
for distinction as Samar (Western), Western Samar, or West Samar. This
island still contains considerable areas where according to report many
people have never seen a foreigner. The island is rich in rivers,
exotic wildlife, caves, and scenery, and the surrounding ocean abounds
with exotic fish, but some of them are hammerhead sharks.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Calbayog City, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-cb.gif)
by
Dirk Schönberger,
12 January 2001
Source: Symbols of the state
Calbayog City, Samar, is, in area, the second largest city in the Philippines.
Its population is 147,000. It boasts a waterfall of seven cascades, an
archaeological museum, numerous historic sites, and at least one university.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Eastern Samar, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-eas.gif)
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
Eastern Samar has 376,000 inhabitants on 4340 sq.km. in twenty-three towns, of
which Borongan is the capital. It contains the spot where Magellan's expedition
first touched the archipelago that Magellan named after his king. Samar
(Western) has a population of 641,000 on 5591 sq.km. It is divided into Calbayog
City and twenty-five towns, of which Catbalogan is the provincial capital.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001
![[Northern Samar, Philippines]](../images/p/ph-nsa.gif)
by Jaume Ollé,
12 January 2001
Northern Samar has 501,000 inhabitants on 3498 sq.km. in twenty-four towns, of
which Catarman is the capital. The upper half of its seal bears a map of the
province and an image of a sailboat.
John Ayer, 17 February 2001