PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE

B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

MODULE 11.
REGION VIII- EASTERN VISAYAS REGION

Objectives:
 Identify the major attractions, activities, accommodations, and cultural highlights in the
provinces within the Eastern Visayas Region
 Create different tour packages that carry different types of tourism activities within the region
(term project); and
 Assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the region in terms of the
4As of tourism

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY:

GEOGRAPHY CHECK!
Identify which part/s of the map is Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, and
Eastern Samar.
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Overview of the Region

Eastern Visayas, also known as Region 8, is composed of six provinces (Leyte,

Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar), four cities (Tacloban,
Ormoc, Maasin, and Calbayog), 139 municipalities and 4,390 barangays. The regional center is
the city of Tacloban. The other major urban centers are Calbayog City; Catbalogan, Samar;
Ormoc City; Baybay, Leyte; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Maasin City; Sogod, Southern Leyte;
Naval, Biliran; and Catarman, Northern Samar (Dargantes, 2010, Introduction).

It is bounded on the east and north by the Philippine Sea with the San Bernardino Strait
separating Samar island from southeastern Luzon; on the west by the Camotes and Visayan
seas, and on the south by the Bohol Sea with the Surigao Strait separating Leyte island from
northwestern Mindanao (Department of Trade and Industry [DTI], n.d., para. 3). The region’s
sea and inland waters are rich sources of salt and fresh water fish and other marine products. It
is one of the fish exporting regions of the country. There are substantial forest reserves in the
interiors of the islands (Department of Trade and Industry [DTI], n.d., para. 6).

In November 2013, the region was hit with the highest death toll in the country by
Typhoon Haiyan, the second deadliest typhoon ever to hit the Philippines (Department of Trade
and Industry [DTI], n.d., para. 5).

Fast Facts

Province Capital Land Major Industries No. No. of Towns

Area of and
Cities Municipalities
(in
hectares)
Biliran Naval 53, 601 Agriculture, fishing, -- 8
handicrafts
Eastern Borongan 466, 047 Agriculture, fishing 1 22
Samar City
Leyte Tacloban 651, 505 Agriculture, fishing, 3 40
City industrial, mining
Northern Catarman 369, 293 Agriculture, fishing, -- 24
Samar livestock, mining
Samar Catbalogan 604, 803 Agriculture, fishing, 2 24
City livestock, commerce
Southern Maasin City 179, 861 Agriculture, fishing, tourism 1 18
Leyte

Ports of Access

By Air: Tacloban Airport is the main gateway of the region by air. It has several flights daily to
and from both Manila and Cebu serviced by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Air Asia
Philippines. Catarman Airport in Northern Samar is also an alternative gateway to the province,
especially for domestic flights from Manila. Travel time from Manila is over an hour.

By Sea: There are at least seven major seaports in the region that connect its provinces from
key destinations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Port of Ormoc, for example, offers Supercat
fast crafts services thrice daily to and from Cebu.

Getting Around: The cities and municipalities within the province are connected through a
network of concrete roads. The Philippine’ longest bridge, the San Juanico Bridge, connects
Tacloban City, Leyte, and Samar. Private van and car rentals are available to move around the
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

region as well as public modes of transportation such as jeepneys, tricycles, and motorcycles to
get around towns. All cities and capital towns in the region are accessible by bus from manila,
Cebu, and Davao. The biggest regional terminal is at Tacloban City where buses and vans have
direct connection to all cities and provincial capitals in the region.

Biliran Island, a young province, lies between Northern Leyte and Eastern Samar. Biliran
comprises eight towns: Kawayan, Almeria, Naval, Biliran, Culaba, Caibiran, Cabucgayan, and
Maripipi, with Naval as the capital town (Province of Biliran, n.d., para. 1).

The province thrives mainly on the fishing and seaport industry. Most of its towns like
Naval and Biliran are considered as excellent ports and are often the gateway to further
destinations within the Visayas and even the Mindanao region (Province of Biliran, n.d., para.
2).

Biliran is bounded on the north by the Samar Sea; on the east by Western Samar; on the
west by Visayan Sea ; and on the south by Carigara Bay (Province of Biliran, n.d., para.
3). Biliran’s topography ranges from slightly flat to gently rolling terrain. It has coastal lowlands
with a mountainous interior except for the municipalities of Naval and Caibiran. Mountain ranges
occupy the major portion of the island municipality of Maripipi (Province of Biliran, n.d., para. 4).

Eastern Samar, one of the six provinces in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas), is in the
eastern part of the island of Samar. The entire east coast of the province faces the Philippine
Sea that forms part of the Pacific Ocean. Eastern Samar other boundaries are: Northern Samar
on the North; Samar on the West; and on the south is Leyte Gulf that merges farther south with
Surigao Strait (Province of Eastern Samar, n.d., para.1).

The interior part of the province is rough, hilly covered with dense tropical vegetation.
The predominance of land with more than 18% slope indicates the mountainous and hilly terrain
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

of the province. These types of lands make up 61.35% of the entire area of the province
(Province of Eastern Samar, n.d., para. 2).

The population of the province is predominantly Waray. Less than three percent of the
household population belongs to other ethnicity (Province of Eastern Samar, n.d., para. 23).

Leyte, known as Tandaya to early Filipinos, was renamed Filipina by Roy Lopez de
Villalobos in 1543, a name that later extended to the entire archipelago. Four centuries later, in
1944, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval battle between the Americans and the
Japanese in world history, transpired in Leyte. General Douglas MacArthur, at the head of an
army of more than 250,000 men waded ashore on the island at Red Beach, Palo, Leyte. This
began the end of the Japanese Imperial Army, eventually, the second World War. Leyte is the
largest of the six provinces of Eastern Visayas (Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA], n.d., para.
1).

It lies adjacent to the island of Samar, connected by the San Juanico Strait, and east of
the islands of Cebu and Bohol. It is bounded in the north by the Carigara Bay and in the east by
the Leyte Gulf. To the west is the Camotes Sea, while the province of Southern Leyte lies
south. The land is mountainous with a very rugged range cutting the island in half from
northwest to southeast. It is composed of forty (40) municipalities and two cities, Ormoc and
Baybay, which serve as its commercial centers. It has five (5) congressional districts and has a
total of 1,503 barangays (Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA], n.d., para. 2).

The mountain range that divides the island into eastern and western plains also serves
as the line that delineates the language difference between the populace in each side of the
province. The western portion faces Cebu, thus, the people speaks the Cebuano dialect. On the
other hand, the Leyteños at the western side speak Waray. A dialect they share with the people
of Samar provinces. Leyte is blessed with naturally endowed areas which are pieces of “Eden
on Earth” (Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA], n.d., para. 3).
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Province of Northern Samar is one of the three provinces comprising Samar Island. It is
bounded by the Pacific ocean on the east; the San Bernardino Strait on the north; Samar Sea
on the west; and the Samar and Eastern Samar provinces on the south. It is 733 kilometers
away from Manila by land. The terrain is very rugged with low-lying river valleys and hills
crossing one another (Province of Northern Samar, n.d., para. 1).

It is divided into two legislative districts, comprising 24 municipalities and 570 barangays,
with its capital named Catarman which is also the political and economic center of the province.
The main languages are Norte-Samarnon, Cebuano and other local dialects (Province of
Northern Samar, n.d., para. 2).

Its major industries are agriculture, fishery and handicraft production. The agriculture
includes rice and vegetable farming, cattle raising, banana and peanut plantation and oil
manufacturing, etc. The fishery consists of deep sea fishing, prawn and agar culture and fresh
water fish culture, etc. The handicraft production comprises furniture manufacturing, hat and
mat weaving, brick making and soap processing, etc. (Province of Northern Samar, n.d., para.
3).

Samar Island lies southeast of Luzon. It occupies the northernmost section of Eastern
Visayas or Region VIII. The province of Samar (western) occupies the southwestern part of
Samar Island (Mines and Geosciences Bureau [MGB], n.d., para. 1).

Samar Island was divided into three (3) provinces: Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and
Western Samar (officially known as Samar by RA 5650 on June 21, 1969) (MGB, n.d., para. 2).

The San Juanico Bridge connects Samar to the province of Leyte on the southeast
across the San Juanico Strait. It is bounded on the north by Northern Samar, on the east by
Eastern Samar, on the south by Leyte Gulf and on the west by the Samar Sea. Catbalogan City,
the provincial capital is 107 kilometers from Tacloban City, the regional capital of Eastern
Visayas. The province of Samar is divided into two (2) congressional districts, with the first
district composed of nine (9) municipalities and one city (Calbayog), while the second district is
composed of 15 municipalities and one city (Catbalogan), the capital and a newly created city.
Majority of the municipalities and the two (2) cities are coastal and only four (4) are in the
mainland. The province has a total of 951 barangays, being 409 coastal and 542 inland
(MGB,n.d., para. 3).
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Southern Leyte is one of the 6 provinces of Region 8 or Eastern Visayas Region. It is

bounded on the north by Leyte Province, on the south by Mindanao Sea, on the east by the
Pacific Ocean and on the west by Visayas Sea (Provincial Government of Southern Leyte, n.d.,
Southern Leyte at a Glance).

It is composed of 1 Congressional District; 1 city, 18 municipalities, and 500 barangays,

255 of which are coastal barangays and 245 non-coastal barangays (Provincial Government of
Southern Leyte, n.d., Southern Leyte at a Glance).

It has 5 urban barangays per PSA-NSO 2010 data, which are located in Maasin City (4)
and Sogod (1); the rest of the barangays (495) are classified as rural barangays (Provincial
Government of Southern Leyte, n.d., Southern Leyte at a Glance).

Southern Leyte’s topography is characterized by relatively flat lands along the coastal
areas, which give way to rugged and mountainous lands toward the interior. Several mountain
ranges are found in Southern Leyte. The mountains with the highest elevations include Mt.
Bitanhuan in Libagon, Mt. Nacolod in Silago, and Mt. Milo in Sogod with 977, 924, and 900
meters above sea level, respectively (Provincial Government of Southern Leyte, n.d.,
Topography).

Two mountains, Mount Cabalian and Mount Nelangcapan, are classified inactive
volcanoes. A smaller mountain system is found at the western part of the province while young
volcanic rocks cover the top of the southern mountain range of the Pacific and Panaon areas
(Provincial Government of Southern Leyte, n.d., Topography).

Major Attractions in the Region

Sambawan Island

 located 5km of the west coast of

Maripipi Municipality, south of
the Samar sea
 semi- curved beach with soaring
rock formations
 a series of interconnecting stony
islets
 a marine sanctuary and a
popular dive site

Location: Marapipi, Biliran

Image source: https://canadianinquirer.net/v1/2015/04/26/sambawan-
island-bilirans-tourism-gem/
Activities: Camping, kayaking, scuba
diving, swimming
Nasunugan Watchtower Ruins

 a reconstruction of an old
structure used by early settlers
in the island as watchtower
against Moro raids between
1765 – 1774
 believed to be the site where Fr.
Gaspar Ignacio de Guevarra
built a fort as sanctuary of the
early Biliranons

Location: Brgy. San Roque, Biliran

Image source: http://biliran.gov.ph/nasunugan-watchtower-ruins/
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Homonhon Island

 first called Humumu

 visited by Ferdinand Magellan
on March 16, 1521 where they
gathered food supplies; where
Rajah Kulambo of Limasawa
sighted him and guided
Magellan to Cebu

Location: Guiuan, Eastern Samar

Image source:
https://iamawesomazing.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/homonhon-island-
guiwan-eastern-samar/
Ban-awan Falls

 highest and most majestic

waterfalls in the province
 one of the main sources of
water system in the municipality
of Lawaan along with the
Amandaraga Falls

Location: Lawaan, Eastern Samar

Image source: https://touristspotsfinder.com/eastern-samar-tourist-spots/

San Juanico Bridge

 part of the Pan-Philippine

Highway
 stretches from Samar to leyte
 constructed during the Marcos
administration
 Marcos built the bridge as a
personal gift to his
wife Imelda using public funds
siphoned through the
controversial Marcos Japanese
ODA scandal.

Location: Samar- Leyte

Image source: https://ironwulf.net/2019/01/01/san-juanico-bridge/
Kalanggaman Island

 Derived from the word

“langgam” which means “bird” in
Cebuano; the island looks like a
bird when viewed from above
 Features a long strip of sandbar

Location: Palompon, Leyte

Image source: https://tourism.biliranisland.com/malapascua-

 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

kalanggaman-island-tour.php
Faro de Capul

 one of the few remaining

operational Spanish Era
lighthouses in the country
 situated on hill known as Titoog
Point of Barangay San Luis
 towers at 39 feet
 made up of granite
 constructed in 1893 and
partially completed in 1896
when it was first lit
 has a white conical tower with
red markings and focal plane
Image source: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/to-the-  is still being utilized by the
lighthouse-on-capul-island
Philippine Coast Guard

Location: Capul, Northern Samar

Hamorawon Spring

 From underneath this giant

clamshell flows the Hamorawon
natural spring
 the only one place in the entire
province of Eastern Samar
which has a naturally-occurring
fresh-water spring

Location: Borongan, Northern Samar

Image source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Personal-

Blog/Hamorawon-Spring-110098147037811/

Samar Archaeological Museum and

Research Center

 maps the history of the fourth-

largest island in the Philippines
 was established in 1969 by Fr.
Cantius Kobak, a Polish
missionary assigned to the
Philippines
 The museum’s main attraction is
the so-called “dragon jar”—a
massive jar etched with the
Image source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2017/10/01/polish-priest- image of a dragon. Carbon
lays-foundation-for-samar-archeological-museum/
dating tests found the jar,
originally from China, to be over
1,000 years old.

Location: Calbayog, Samar

 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Marabut Rock Formations

 naturally-carved limestone rocks

resembling the ones near Krabi
in Thailand or the ones in
Halong Bay, in Vietnam

Location: Marabut, Samar

Image source: https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/IN-

SEARCH-OF-SERENITY-IN-MARABUT

Limasawa Island

 also known as Sarangani Island

 Limasawa completely became a
municipality on August 27,
1989, after former
President Corazon
Aquino ordered the plebiscite
which its residents voted in
favor of the creation.
 the smallest municipality in the
province, in both area and
population
 site of first Catholic mass in the
Image source: country
http://www.traveltothephilippines.info/2017/12/20/limasawa-island-site-of-
first-philippine-mass/
Location: Limasawa, Southern Leyte
Balanghai Masua

 pre-colonial themed museum

 replica of a “Masua Balanghai”
long house

Location: Southern Leyte

Image source: https://www.facebook.com/MasauaBalanghai15thCentury/

Can you identify other tourist attractions in the Eastern Visayas Region?

Accommodation

The range of prices of accommodation in the provinces in the region is from ≥Php
1,500.00 to at least Php 3,000.00. As of 2019, high end accommodation types (at least Php
3,000 per night) can only be found in Biliran, Leyte, and Southern Leyte. Types of
accommodation available are pension houses, inns, resorts, and hotels.
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Popular Cuisines and Delicacies from the Region

Pinato

Bocarillo

Sasima Binagol

Biliran Leyte Southern Northern Samar Eastern

Leyte Samar Samar
 Labtingaw  Binagol  Tres  Sakulara  Baduya  Sasima
(daing)  Moron Marias  Torta nga  Binagol
 Lokon  Suman  Banagan  Moron Pasayan  Tambis-
 Tinambiran Latik  Crispy  Sagmani (maruya) tambis
Suman  Roscas Ampao  Binagol  Carioso  Moron
 Special  Bukayo  Bocarillo  Binagol
Binagol  Tamalos
 Papaya  Pili
Pickles Delicacies
 Smoked  Pinato
Fish  Pastillas
(Tinapa)

Popular Festivals from the Region

Biliran Gapnod Festival (September 1)- celebrates the charter anniversary of

Almeria by paying tribute to its humble beginnings and showcasing its
accomplishments
Ibid Festival (July 25)- showcases the playful stance of lizards locally
known as ibid which is found by the river from which the town of Caibiran
got its name
Bagazumbol Festival (1st Saturday of October)- celebrates the birth of
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

Christianity in the town of Naval during the Spanish time

Leyte Lubi-Lubi Festival (August 15)- showcases the cultural presentations to
emphasize the significance of coconut trees to the life of the people of
Calubian
Sanggutan Festival (May 18)- showcases the old coconut wine processing
that was used in the town of Barugo
Alikaraw Festival (December 31)- showcases the ancient rituals through
the various cultural presentations
Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival (June 29)- includes the Pintados Festival
dance presentation and the pagraybak grand parade to celebrate the feast
day of Señor Sto. Niño
Southern Leyte Ajonay Festival (August 10)- a celebration of local cultures to call for unity
and cooperation of the community
Pagkamugna Festival (July 1)- to commemorate the founding anniversary
of Maasin City
Pabulhon Festival (August 10)- a grand display of Maasin City’s abundant
agricultural products
Karomat Festival (April 3-5)- a cultural celebration depicting the role of the
farmers and their way of life
Manha-on Festival (September 2)- a cultural presentation of dances and
chants accompanied by improvised bamboo percussion instruments
Northern Samar Bankaton Festival (August 20)- features a sailboat race as its main event
to showcase bangkas used by the fisher folks as their main source of
livelihood
Samar Alimango Festival (July 25)- to promote crab industry of the town of Sta.
Margarita, the festival features the courtship dance between female and
male alimango
Mayaw-Mayaw Festival (May 10)- a thanksgiving celebration that depicts
the ancient ritual during the Pre-Spanish time of the rice production hub of
the province
Manaragat Festival (August 24)- in honor of the Patron Saint of
Catbalogan City, the miraculous St. Bartholomew, believed to keep the
rich marine resources in Maqueda Bay
Eastern Samar Padul-ong Festival (September 7-8)- to pay homage to the patroness of
the province, the Blessed Virgin mary, by depicting how the image was
transported to Borongan all the way from Portugal
Lechon Festival (September)- features the delicious lechon or roasted pigs
by parading it in a creative way

Major Cultural Groups

Waray and Cebuano are the major cultural groups in the region. The islands of Samar
and Leyte are home to the Warays. Wet rice intensive cultivation, production of copra, and
domestic fishing economy sustain the basic population. The Warays are highly resilient as they
have attuned their lives to the fact that their homes lie in the paths of Pacfic typhoons (Badilla,
2019, p. 139).
 PHIL IPPINE T OURISM, GEOGR AP HY, AND CULT URE
B ACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HOSPIT AL IT Y MAN AGE MENT

ACTIVITY

I. TRUE OR FALSE: At the end of each sentence, write T if the underlined word is
True and F if it is False.

1. As of 2019, high end accommodation types can only be found in Biliran, Leyte, and
Southern Leyte.
2. Sanggutan Festival showcases the old coconut wine processing that was used in
the town of Barugo
3. Kalanggaman island is the smallest municipality in the province, in both area and
population in Southern Leyte.
4. Waray and Minadanaoan are the major cultural groups in the region.
5. Samar was known as Tandaya to early Filipinos.
6. The San Juanico Bridge connects Samar to the province of Leyte.
7. Homonhon Island was visited by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi on March 16, 1521.
8. Ban-awan Falls is the smallest waterfalls in Eastern Samar.
9. The name Kalanggaman Island is from “langgam” because people who come here
look like ants when viewed from above.

II. Name the capital of the following provinces in the region. Write your answers
in the space provided.

_____________1. Leyte
_____________2. Samar
_____________3. Eastern Samar
_____________4. Northern Samar
_____________5. Biliran
_____________6. Southern Leyte

References:

Badilla, M. (2019). Philippine tourism, geography, and culture. Rex Printing

Company, Inc.

Dargantes, B. (2010). Rapid field appraisal of decentralization: Eastern Visayas

region 8. https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/10EasternVisayas.pdf

Department of Trade and Industry. (n.d.). Profile of region 8.

https://www.dti.gov.ph/regions/region-8/profile/

Mines and Geosciences Bureau. (n.d.). Samar: Mineral profile.

https://region8.mgb.gov.ph/images/MINERAL_PROFILE_OF_SAMAR_PROV
INCE_1.pdf

Philippine Statistics Authority. (n.d.). Province of Leyte.

http://rsso08.psa.gov.ph/leyte/about

Province of Biliran. (n.d.). About Biliran. http://biliran.gov.ph/about-biliran/

Province of Eastern Samar. (n.d.). About Eastern Samar.

https://easternsamar.gov.ph/about-eastern-samar/

Province of Northern Samar. (n.d.). Brief introduction to Northern Samar province.

https://northernsamar.gov.ph/?page_id=94

Province of Southern Leyte. (n.d.). Southern Leyte: At a glance.

https://southernleyte.gov.ph/general-information/at-a-glance

Province of Southern Leyte. (n.d.). Topography. http://www.southernleyte.gov.ph/

general-information/characteristics/172-topography#:~:text=
Southern%20Leyte's%20topography%20is%20characterized,
Bitanhuan%20in%20Libagon%2C%20Mt.