EASTERN SAMAR

Population

20th smallest Total (2007) 375,822

languages

Waray-Waray

General Information

Is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality of Borongan. It is located at the eastern portion of the island of Samar. Bordering the province to the north is Northern Samar and to the west is Samar province. Eastern Samar faces the Philippine Sea to the east, and Leyte Gulf to the south.

Economy / Resources

Borongan has its biggest shopping mall, the Wilsam Uptown Mall, located in Brgy. Songco. The main product of the province is Copra. Local agriculture includes maize, rice, sugarcane, and various other vegetables.

Geography

The province has a population of 375,822 as of the 2000 census. This makes it the 20th lowest populated province. The population density is 87 people per km². The common language is Waray.

Culture

The Warays of Eastern Samar, share the general Waray ethnic traits of affability and good-nature, and think mostly of making their land fertile or fishing the rich seas and providing for their families. The people also produce local handicrafts from abaca, buri, pineapple fiber, and coconut husks. Sinamay or abaca cloth weaving is a home-based industry. The landing of Magellan in the Island of Homonhon four centuries ago, is immortalized by the people of Eastern Samar. On the beach believe to be where the expedition landed is a deep stream called Cantildo. At present, one can see a stone marker on rock bearing inscriptions made by Magellans party. What Pigafetta refered as the (Watering Place of Good signs) is not far away from the stone marker. Every year, the landing at homonhon is re-enacted on March 16.

Climate

Eastern Samar has a different climate than the rest of the Philippines. Eastern Samar, being located on the Pacific Ocean experiences greater rainfall throughout the year without the hot, dry season from March to May like most of the Philippines. Most of the rainfall occurs from November to February. There is no real dry season, the best sunny weather found from April to July but almost daily includes some rain so be prepared.

Transportation

Air Currently, the only commercial flights to the province are to Borongan, South East Asian Airlines. Borongan Airport is located on Barangay Point Mary, north of the city. Sea There are a number of ports in Eastern Samar that caters mostly minor sea vessels in the area. Land Bus transit is the dominant public land transport to the province from Manila passing through the Pan-Philippine Highway (Maharlika Highway) and through (Western) Samar. There are vans and jeepneys from Tacloban City going to the different municipalities of the province. The public mode of transit in the province, are jeepneys, multicabs, motor tricycles and pedicabs.