Eastern Visayas (Overview)

 One of the two regions of the

Philippines having no land
border with another region.

 It has 6 provinces, 12
districts, 7 cities, 136
municipalities, and 4,390
barangays.

 Tacloban City – Regional

Center
Eastern Visayas (Brief History)
• The economy is deeply agricultural.

• Farming practices in some parts of the region date

back to the early 1800's.

• Agricultural development has been slow and highly

selective to few pockets of more enterprising (and
well-off) farmers.

• Agriculture has been limited to mostly the coastal

areas and small inland valleys.
Eastern Visayas (Brief History)
• Heavy industry has been confined to a small industrial
zone on the northwest of Leyte Island.

• Much of the hinterlands is now heavily forested having

had a chance to recuperate from the devastating logging
operations in the 1970's and 1980's.

• It was Samar and Leyte which the renowned Portuguese

explorer Ferdinand Magellan first saw and landed on after
his long voyage across the Pacific in 1521.
Eastern Visayas (Brief History)
• The first Christians in Southeast Asia were the people
of Limasawa where the first mass was held.

• Five centuries later, General Douglas MacArthur led

the Allies to victory in the Battle of Leyte wherein the
ensuing naval battle.

• Leyte became the secure foothold of the Allies in

conquering back the archipelago, and eventually the
rest of Asia, from the Japanese.
Eastern Visayas
(Geographical Context)

The region is the

eastern boundary
of the
Philippines.
Eastern Visayas
(Geographical Context)
Bounded by:
 Philippine Sea – East

 San Bernado Strait – This region is

North the eastern
boundary of the
 Camotes and Visayan Sea Philippines.
– West

 Bohol Sea – South

Eastern Visayas
(Geographic Features)
 Samar (3rd largest island in the
country)

 Leyte (8th largest)

 The land areas of the provinces;

• Leyte: 6 268 sq km
• Samar: 5 591 sq km
• Northern Samar: 3 498 sq km
• Southern Leyte: 1 734.8 sq km
• Biliran: 555 sq km
Eastern Visayas
(Political Divisions)

Officially known as Region

VIII, and it has 6 provinces,
12 districts, 7 cities, 136
municipalities, and 4,390
barangays.
Eastern Visayas
(Political Divisions)

 Northern Samar (capital Catarman): 2

districts, 24 municipalities, 569 barangays

 Samar (formerly Western Samar) (capital

Catbalogan City): 2 districts, 24 municipalities,
2 cities, 951 barangays

 Southern Leyte (capital Maasin City): lone

district, 18 municipalities, 1 city, 500 barangays
Eastern Visayas
(Political Divisions)

 Biliran (capital Naval): lone district, 8

municipalities, 132 barangays

 Eastern Samar (capital Borongan City): lone

district, 22 municipalities, 1 city, 597 barangays

 Leyte (capital Tacloban City): 5 districts, 40

municipalities, 3 cities, 1,641 barangays
Eastern Visayas
(Terrain)

 The region's terrain is

relatively flat near and along
the coasts, with the
mountainous areas mostly
located in the middle
portion of Samar and Leyte
islands.
Eastern Visayas
(Terrain)
 The southern and
southwestern portions of
Leyte are mountainous, while
its northern portion is
extensively flat.

 Samar, has a lot of

mountainous ranges with
forest and deep valleys.
Eastern Visayas
(Climate)
Type II and Type IV

Samar Island and the eastern part

of Leyte Island fall under Type II.

 Western half of Leyte island and

some portions of Northern Samar
experience Type IV.

The eastern portion of the region is

frequently visited by storms from
the Pacific Ocean
Eastern Visayas
(Population, 2013 Census)
Eastern Visayas
(Economy, D. A. 2011 report )

Agriculture, fishery and forestry accounted for

20.49% of the regional economy.

Palay and coconut were the leading commodities

to agricultural production of Eastern Visayas.

The agricultural land area in Eastern Visayas

covers 723,048 hectares, or 31% of the region's
total land area of 2,325,395 hectares.
Eastern Visayas
(Economy, D. A. 2011 report )
Low volume of fish catch and limited supply of fishery
products were noted due to expensive fishing trips and
rough seas.

Primary sources of revenue are

• Manufacturing
• Wholesale
• retail trade and services.

Mining, farming, fishing and tourism contribute

significantly to the economy.
Eastern Visayas
(Economy, D. A. 2011 report )
 Manufacturing firms (mining companies, fertilizer
plants, rice and corn mills)

 Home industries (hat and basket weaving, metal craft,

needlecraft, pottery, ceramics)

 The region receives the “spillover” from Cebu.

 Leyte is planned to become an industrial hub of the

region with the development of the industrial estates.
Eastern Visayas
(Economy, G. R. D. P. 2014)
 The region’s GRDP is 146 354 123 (in thousand pesos).
 It is divided into three sectors:
• Agriculture: 26 270 742 (18%)
• Industry: 60 574 092 (41.4%)
• Service: 59 509 288 (40.7%)

 Per capita GRDP is 33, 743 (in pesos) and is second

lowest among the regions.

 The Typhoon Yolanda devastation caused the economy

of the region to contract by 2.3% in 2014 from a 4.5%
growth rate in 2013.
Eastern Visayas
(Employment, DOLE 2015)
The rates defining the labor participation of the
population are as follows:
• Employment rate: 94.7% > 93.5% (Nationwide)
• Unemployment rate: 5.3% < 6.5%
• Underemployment rate:26% > 21%

A number of reconstruction projects were started

and this provided job opportunities for the people.
Eastern Visayas
(Land Classification)
Total land area – 2,156,285
hectares (21,562.9 Km 2) or
7.2% of the country’s land area.

 52.2% are established as

forestland.

47.8% are alienable &

disposable lands.

Eastern Visayas is an
agricultural region (31%).
Eastern Visayas
(Cultural Groups)
The Waray-Warays, the country’s fourth largest
cultural linguistic group.
• Often stereotyped as “brave warriors”: ‘basta
Waray, hindi uurong sa away’
• Contented people
• Love of music

Cebuanos from the nearby island of Cebu live in

Ormoc City, Western Leyte and parts of the
Southwest of Leyte.
Eastern Visayas
(Languages)
Waray-Waray that is spoken in Samar, Biliran
and Leyte
Abaknon that is used by the natives of Samar.
Cebuano is spoken in western, central,
southern parts of Leyte and in Southern
Leyte.
Other languages
• Baybayanon, which is spoken in Baybay.
• Kinabalian, spoken in the municipality of
San Juan, Southern Leyte.
Eastern Visayas
(Dances)
Tinikling, national dance of the country,
originated from Leyte.
Kuratsa, the most popular among Warays’
Eastern Visayas
(Natural Resources)
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..
Eastern Visayas
(Natural Resources)
 The region is rich in
mineral resources

 Abundant in geother-
mal energy and water
resources to support
the needs of medium
and heavy industries.
Eastern Visayas
(Famous delicacies)
Binagol
Wrapped with banana leaves and tied up.
Found in Samar and Leyte
Eastern Visayas
(Famous delicacies)
Wiri-Wiri
A native Southern Leyte delicacy
Eastern Visayas
(Famous delicacies)
Chocolate Moron
 Made of rice flour mixed with chocolate paste or locally
called Tableya, peanuts and brown or organic sugar.
Eastern Visayas
(Famous delicacies)
Sagmani
 Made
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Vulnerability to calamities
1. Leyte: Earthquake, ground rupture, ground shaking,
liquefaction, storm surge, tsunami, rain-induced landslide,
flood and volcanic eruptions.

2. Eastern Samar: Earthquake, ground rupture, ground

shaking, liquefaction, storm surge, tsunami, rain-induced
landslide and flood

3. Northern Samar: Earthquake, ground rupture, ground

shaking, liquefaction, storm surge and tsunami
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Vulnerability to calamities
 31 public school buildings, 22 municipal halls, 5 rural
health centers, 1 barangay hall, 3 gymnasiums, 1
district hospital, 2 commercial building.

 The structures are either dilapidated or have shown

hairline cracks on floors, walls, or ceilings, w/c are
signs of possible collapse.

 In need of wide and clean drainage.

 They do not have enough sea wall.

 Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Agricultural constraints
 Expensive inputs.

 Not enough supply of seeds and locally manufactured

fertilizers.

 Distribution of agricultural products also serves as a

hindrance.

 Very little support from the government.

 Not enough centers where local products can be marketed.

Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Poverty
Eastern Visayas ranked as the third poorest region
in the country (2012).

Studies show that 1 in every 3 families in the region

is poor.

In an article posted in the Philstar website (2015),

the region has become the poorest, with a poverty
incidence of almost 55%.
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Mining
 Government and Private Sectors have shown keen
interest in developing this industry.

 CBCP criticized local leaders accusing them of acting

“more agents of the mining firms rather that agents of
the people”.

 Irreversible impact in the islands of Manicani and

Homohon (Eastern Samr), and Batag (N. Samar)
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Political Dynasty
Governor: Sharee Ann T. Tan
Vice Governor: Stephen James T. Tan
Representative: Milagrosa T. Tan (former
Governor, 9 years)
The Tan family has been in power in Samar for
more than a decade.
Two more children of 2nd Dist. Rep Milagrosa
Tan and a brother-in-law are also entering the
political arena.
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Political Dynasty
Mila’s youngest son, Reynolds Michael Tan, is
the mayor of Catbalogan City.

Mila’s brother-in-law, Arnold Tan, is tried to

have a congressional seat in the 1st district.

Mila’s eldest Angelie, the mayor of Calbayog

City, Samar.
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
SC “flip-flopping” decisions on
cityhood of 16 municipalities
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
SC “flip-flopping” decisions on
cityhood of 16 municipalities
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Slow and inefficient pace of
government relief operations
Months after Yolanda, substantial amounts of rotting relief
goods and rice were discovered to have been buried in
dumpsites in the towns of Palo and Palompon in Leyte.

In December 2015, the Department of Social Welfare and

Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas admitted to
burying 284 sacks of rice that had spoiled while being
stored in a warehouse, which was intended for relief
operations for the victims of typhoon “Ruby” in 2014.
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)

Public Health
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Delay in government projects
The National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) has raised concern over the delay of 88 projects
in Eastern Visayas funded by the national government
and foreign companies in the last quarter of 2015.

Timetable are being implemented by the regional offices

of the NIA and DPWH.

These projects consist of roads, bridges, and irrigation

systems with allocations ranging from Php20 million to
Php200 million.
Eastern Visayas
(Pressing Issues)
Delay in government projects

The most common cause of delay are contractor’s capacity

and road right of way acquisition.

DPWH projects with implementation problems have a

total cost of Php2.75 billion.
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
The Pintados de Leyte Festival
It is a celebration of the Leytenos of their way of life
before Spain conquered the country.
The dancers’ body are painted with tattoo like images
depicting the tattoos received by warriors back then.
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
Lingganay Festival
 It was based on the legend of the town’s golden bell that was
thrown into the deepest part of the river to prevent Moro pirates
from getting their hands on the bell.
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
Pasaka Festival, Our Lady of assumption, Tanuan
Leyte (Aug. 14-15)
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
Pasaka Festival, Our Lady of assumption, Tanuan
Leyte (Aug. 14-15)
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
Pasaka Festival, Our Lady of assumption, Tanuan
Leyte (Aug. 14-15)
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
Pasaka Festival, Our Lady of assumption, Tanuan
Leyte (Aug. 14-15)
 Eastern Visayas
(Festivals)
Hudyaka Festival, Prov. Anniversary of Biliran
(2nd week of May)
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Biliran Volacano/Mt. Suiro
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Amandaraga Falls at Lawaan
Located at Lawaan in the province of Eastern Samar
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Bangon Falls in Calbayog
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Capul Island at Northern Samar
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Sohoton Cave in Basey
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Panhulugan Cliff
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Sambawan Island in Maripipi
 Eastern Visayas
(Natural Attraction)
Sohoton
UlotCave
Mahagnao
Limasawa River
Tomalistis Natural
ininin
Volcano
Island
Falls SamarPark
Island
inBiliran
Caibiran,
&Southern
National Samar
Leyte
Park
Biri Rock Formations in Northern Samar
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
MacArthur Landing Memorial at Palo, Leyte
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
San Juanico Bridge between Samar & Leyte
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
STO. NINO SHRINE AND HERITAGE MUSEUM
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Agas-Agas Bridge
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Balangiga Massacre Monument
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Hill 120 (Catmon Hill)
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Hill 522 (Guinhangdan Hill)
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)

Hilongos Bell Tower

 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Palo Metropolitan Cathedral
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Philippine-Japan Peace Memorial
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Agas-agas Adventure Park
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Price Mansion
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Samar Archeological Museum
 Eastern Visayas
(Man-Made/Historical Attraction)
Leyte Provincial Capitol