SOUTHERN LEYTE

Population

Total (2007) 390,847 Founded May 22, 1959

languages

Cebuano and Boholano

General Information

Is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Maasin is the capital of the province. Southern Leyte was once a sub-province of Leyte before it was divided from the latter. Limasawa, an island to the south is part of the province where the first Christian mass was held and is said to be the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines.

Economy/ Resources

Most of the people in Southern Leyte go into coconut planting, a widely distributed industry, especially in mountainous and even plain regions. The German Technical Cooperation has embarked on a value chain study on one of the most important products in Region 8 - the coconut, particularly in Leyte and Southern Leyte. People in Southern Leyte also go into abaca planting. The province is one of the major producer of abaca fiber in the country along with Catanduanes, Leyte, Davao Oriental, Northern Samar, Sorsogon, Sulu, Davao del Sur, and Surigao del Sur. The fibers from Leyte and the province are recognized as having the best quality.

Major Products

Coconut, Abaca Abaca fiber helps livelihood in the province. Women in the selected areas go into abaca-based handicrafts, which is widely known in the area as tagak or spooled abaca fiber. Natives usually called it as tinagak or continuous spooled abaca fiber. The half-finished product is then made into sinamay or hand woven clothe out of tinagak ready to be made into other sinamay-based products. Products are being exported by Manila to Japan. Because of a wide distribution of an industry called tagak, provincial sectors taught farmers on how to cultivate a suitable variety locally called laylay.

Geography

Southern Leyte occupies the southern one-fourth of the island of Leyte. It is bounded by the province of Leyte to the north, by Surigao Strait to the east, Bohol Sea to the south, and Canigao Channel, across from Bohol, to the west. Its total land area is 173,480 hectares or 1,734.8 sq. kilometers. The province is characterized by relatively flat lands along the coastal areas where population centers lay, but rugged and mountainous towards the interior. Bureau of Mines and Geosciences warned that Southern Leyte's natural and geological features make it susceptible to landslides and floodings. On February 17, 2006, several mudslides caused by heavy rains, amounting over 200cm (79 inches), and a minor earthquake destroyed at least one town and many commercial and residential

Culture

While ethnicity of the province is widely Bisaya, most people of the province are farmers and fisherfolks. People in the province are generally Roman Catholics in religion. Generally, 87.28 percent of which adheres to Roman Catholic Church but traditional folks still influence the people in the province. Although most people are Christians, a very few who live in remote villages of the province hold-on to Pre-Hispanic influences in making offerings and sacrifices before planting their crops. Farmers ritually sacrifice chickens and pigs to ensure that the spirits or elementals which they believe to be the cause of good harvest will grant them.

Climate

Southern Leyte has two types of climate according to the Coronas Classification. These are Type II and Type IV. Type II is characterized by the absence of dry season with a very pronounced maximum rain period occurring in the months of November to January. Type IV has a rainfall that is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

Transportation

There are six designated bus terminals in Southern Leyte: Maasin, Liloan, Sogod,San Juan, Hinunangan and Silago. However, these terminals are open spaces used by buses as parking areas and are therefore not equipped with buildings and other facilities.The province has only one existing airport that is located in Pananawan, Maasin. This airport is considered a feeder airport with a total runway length of 1200 meters and width of 30 meters.