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ost
Filipinos having
some Hispanic blood
in their veins,
it might occur to
them to visit the
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Fast
Facts |
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Capital:
Borongan
Location:
N
- Northern
Samar
E -
Philippine
Sea
W -
Western
Samar
S -
Leyte
Gulf
Land
Area:
4,470.75
sq.
kms.
No.
of Towns:
23 (twenty-three)
Population:
58.285
(as
of 1995
census)
Climate:
It shows
distinct
seasons:
rainy
from
November
to January
with
northeast
monsoon
as the
prevailing
wind
and
dry
from
July
to September
with
its
westerly
winds
locally
called
"haba-gat"
as the
prevailing
wind.
Topography:
The
interior
part
of the
province
is rough
and
hilly
and
covered
with
dense
tropical
vegetation
but
drained
by numerous
rivers
and
creeks.
Mountain
ranges
and
peaks
abound
in an
interior.
Narrow
plains
hug
most
of the
coastal
areas
and
in some
instances
the
banks
of its
principal
rivers
and
their
tributaries.
Dialects:
Waray-waray
Assistance
Office:
Provincial
Tourism
Office
Province
of Eastern
Samar
Provincial
Capitol
Borongan,
Eastern
Samar
Tel.
No.
(055)
330-1139
Fax.
No.
(055)
330-1297
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island of Homonhon,
now part of the
province of Eastern
Samar.
In his account,
Pigafetta (the chronicler
aboard Magellan's
ship) describes
the island of Humunu
(Homonhon): “ ...
we found two fountains
of very clear water...
we called it the
“Waters of Good
Signs”, having found
the first sign of
gold in the said
island. There also
can be found much
white coral and
tall trees that
bear fruits smaller
than an almond and
look like pines.
There were also
many palm trees,
some of the good
kind, some of the
bad. There abouts
are many neighboring
islands. Hence we
called them the
St. Lazarus Archipelago
because we stayed
there on the day
and feast of St.
Lazarus.
Since that account,
historians have
described this part
of Samar Island
as the “eastern
gateway to the Philippines”
the coast of this
small province faces
the Pacific Ocean
and much of the
land is rugged with
the vast parts forested.
Brief History
The
Province of Eastern
Samar was created
by Republic Act
No. 4221 which was
approved by Congress
on June 19, 1965
dividing the whole
island of Samar
into three independent
provinces namely:
Northern Samar,
Western Samar (subsequently
renamed Samar) and
Eastern Samar. As
embodied in this
Act, the eastern
province is composed
of 23 municipalities
with Borongan as
the capital. The
first set of officials
were elected in
1967.
Eastern Samar played
important roles
in the history of
our country. On
March 16, 1521,
Magellan first set
foot on Philippine
soil on the island
of Homonhon on his
way to rediscover
the Philippines
for the western
world.
An American garrison
of occupation troops
was annihilated
by the townspeople
of Balangiga on
September 28, 1901.
Now known in history
as the “Balangiga
Massacre”, this
incident triggered
a wave of reprisal
against the people
of the whole island
of Samar.
On October 17, 1944,
rangers of the U.S.
Army landed on the
tiny island of Suluan,
Guiuan and had their
first encounter
on Philippine territory
three days before
Gen. Douglas MacArthur
landed on the beaches
of Leyte.
Earliest known chronicles
reveal that further
contact with western
civilization aside
from the Magellan
landing occurred
as early as 1596
when Jesuit missionaries
worked their way
from the western
coast of the island
of Samar and established
mission centers
in what is now Eastern
Samar territory.
It is most probable
that the populated
existing settlement
were created pueblos
shortly after this
time. The eastern
part of the island
was known as Ibabao
and distinct from
Samar which was
the name of the
western part. Magellan
called the place
where he landed
at Homonhon Island
“The Watering Place
of Good Signs”.
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