History of Naval

The history of Naval on Biliran Island goes much deeper into the past than the “from Bagasumbol to Naval”
theme that our folklore, folksongs, the 1961 Naval Centennial Celebration, and the first printed history
written by the 1966 Naval Municipal Historical Committee would make us believe to have started around
the 1850s.

In this revisionist paper we present theories on our town’s geologic origin, push back its recorded history by
250 years, and clarify certain controversial issues related to Naval’s founding in the 1850s.

For the natural history of Naval, a “delta-formation theory” has been proposed to explain its geologic origin.
A geologic survey of Leyte published in 1954 also described the “coastal alluvial plains in Naval (as) the
largest in (Biliran) island,” an exception from that of the surrounding regions of the island which are
characterized by broken hills and mountains.

For the recorded history involving the present territorial jurisdiction of the town of Naval (see map), there
was already an unnamed village here in 1600, the one described as the nearby base of the Spanish, native
and other workers in the first known Spanish shipyard in the Philippines on Isla de Panamao (the present
Biliran Island), and which had been visited by Jesuit missionaries based in Carigara starting in 1601. We
postulate that the site of this village was located in the present Sitio Ilawod (a sitio is a cluster of few
houses, ilawod refers to the seaward portion) of Barangay Caraycaray, along the southern bank and near the
mouth of the Caraycaray River; that the first hospital in the Visayas region was established here in this
village by the Jesuits in 1601; and the the shipyard was initially located at the nearby Sabang beach across
Inagawan.

On 10 September 1712 the pueblo which had become known as Biliran filed a formal petition for becoming a
separate pueblo and parish. This pueblo of Biliran included the settlements in the different areas and islets
of Biliran Island, excluding Maripipi Island.7 We also postulate that the poblacion of Biliran pueblo was
situated in the present Sitio Ilawod, on the same site that we had just postulated as the village base of the
workers in the Spanish shipyard on Panamao in 1600, or 112 years earlier.

To support our claim for Sitio Ilawod as the poblacion of Biliran pueblo, we argue that the lantawan or
watch tower on this site was erected long before 1712, as the previous requirement for this pueblo’s
formation. We surveyed on 3 February 1990 the remaining traces of coral stone blocks of this watch tower
(called trinchera sa Moros, the local reference to this fort against the historical Moro raiders). We found
them at ground level overlooking the Caraycaray River in a neglected state. Flooding had apparently caused
this relic to gradually sink into the swamp through the years. It was barely two meters above the water
level at low tide and had been overgrown with weeds and nipa palms.
History of Culaba
The pueblo has existed during the revolution time of 1899 and its location was in the northern side of Amambahag
River and her name was Binongto-an. Due to its low lying elevation constant flooding devastated the place and the
settlement was transferred to the southern part of Amambahag River near the legendary Culaba Brooks—where the
new town got its name.

On 1901 the pueblo was raided by pulahans, a marauder from the island of samar, taking away everything and
destroyed the place by fire leaving it completely devastated with no single document left that will prove who were the
Officiales del Pueblo on that time. The place was annexed to the neighboring town of Caibiran as one of its barrio.

In 1907 educational system was opened, utilizing the home of Capitan Pacifico Amable as grade one English class and
eventually grade two was offered. After the time of Seńor Amable, Seńor Gervacio Abanilla succeeded as captain.

Growth was slow, but because the place was strategically located far from the troubled areas, migrants from nearby
provinces of Cebu and Bohol came. Endowed with abundance of flora and fauna, trading of forest products such as
lumber was established through sailboats locally known as paraw to the nearby and the farthest provinces of Cebu.

During the postwar, community leader clamored for the township of Barrio Culaba. Their efforts lasted for a decade
until the time on 16 October 1953 when President Elpidio Quirino signed Executive Order No. 630 creating the
Municipality of Culaba in the Province of Leyte, seceding the five original barrios of Pinamihagan, Habuhab,Culaba,
Bool and Acaban from the mother Municipality of Caibiran. The inauguration of the new town was on 16 January
1954, the incumbent mayor of Caibiran Mayor Gerardo Pazon Sabarre, a native of Culaba, was appointed as new
mayor and the seat of the government was in the old tribunal building which was located in the basketball court
today.
Tourist
Spots
Of
Naval
Tourist
Spots
Of
Culaba
Acaban Cave (Lover’s Cave). The Biliran island province boasts a number of sea
caves but perhaps the most famous one is located in the Brgy. Acaban, Culaba. The Acaban Cave or
better known as Lover’s Cave, open to crystal blue waters where you can take a leisurely swim without
getting smashed on a big waves on a good day.

TRIVIA:
There are a lot of stories surrounding Acaban Cave:
1. Japanese Soldiers used the cave as a hiding place during World War 2 and hid a lot of gold treasures
inside which attract treasure hunters.
2. It is very long that it reaches up to the mountains at the middle of the island.
3. The water coming from the spring inside said to have healing powers.
4. Enchanted spirits dwell in the cave.
4. Two lovers have spent some "time" inside but tragedy struck and they got swallowed by the sea.

These stories maybe true or not but it is a fact that this cave is a place worth visiting. Take a dip to its
clear and cold waters.