Eastern Samar

Eastern Samar (Waray-Waray: Sinirangan Samar; Tagalog: Silangang Samar^[3]), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan, which is the most populous. Eastern Samar occupies the eastern portion of the island of Samar. Bordering the province to the north is the province of Northern Samar and to the west is Samar province. To the east lies the Philippine Sea, part of the vast Pacific Ocean, while to the south lies Leyte Gulf.

Eastern Samar Silangang Samar (Filipino)
Province
(from top: left to right) Port section of the Guiuan Integrated Transport Terminal, Baybay Boulevard in Borongan, Balangiga Church, Church of San Julian, Homonhon and Olot Beach.
Flag Seal
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates: 11°40′N 125°25′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Founded	June 19, 1965
Capital and largest city	Borongan
Government
• Governor	Ben P. Evardone (PFP)
• Vice Governor	Maria Caridad S. Goteesan (PFP)
• Legislature	Eastern Samar Provincial Board
Area [1]
• Total	4,660.47 km2 (1,799.42 sq mi)
• Rank	24th out of 81
Highest elevation (Mount Mactaon)	673 m (2,208 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[2]
• Total	477,168
• Rank	60th out of 81
• Density	100/km2 (270/sq mi)
• Rank	69th out of 81
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	1 Borongan
• Municipalities	22 Arteche Balangiga Balangkayan Can-avid Dolores General MacArthur Giporlos Guiuan Hernani Jipapad Lawaan Llorente Maslog Maydolong Mercedes Oras Quinapondan Salcedo San Julian San Policarpo Sulat Taft
• Barangays	597
• Districts	Legislative districts of Eastern Samar
Time zone	UTC+8 (PHT)
IDD : area code	+63 (0)55
ISO 3166 code	PH-EAS
Spoken languages	Waray Cebuano Tagalog English
Highway routes
Website	www.easternsamar.gov.ph

History

Further information: Samar (historical province)

Spanish colonial era

Quincentennial historical marker of Ferdinand Magellan's arrival in Suluan, Guiuan

During his circumnavigation of the globe, Ferdinand Magellan had set foot on the tiny island of Homonhon in the southern part of the province. On March 16, 1521, the area of what is now Eastern Samar is said to be the first Philippine landmass spotted by Magellan and his crew.^[4][5][6]

In 1596, many names, such as Samal, Ibabao, and Tandaya, were given to Samar Island prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. During the early days of Spanish occupation, Samar was under the jurisdiction of Cebu. Samar and Leyte were later separated from Cebu in 1735. They were split in 1747 but was reversed in 1762 with the approval of the King of Spain, following complaints from the Jesuits. The province of Samar was later established as a distinct province in 1768 after it got separated from the province of Leyte.^[7] In 1777, Samar and Leyte split for the last time when it was approved in Madrid in 1786 and had been effective in 1799.

American colonial era

Philippine-American War

Further information: Philippine–American War

Maj. Eugenio Daza Area Commander of General Lukbán's forces for Southeastern Samar

Balangiga Massacre

Main article: Balangiga massacre

Pacification of Samar

Main article: Pacification of Samar

Japanese occupation

In 1944, combined Filipino-American troops involved in the liberation of the Philippines from Japan built in the town of Guiuan the largest military base in the Pacific. In the same town in 1949, approximately 5,000 Russian refugees escaping from communist China temporarily settled on Tubabao Island until 1951, when they were transferred to Australia and the United States.^[5]

Philippine independence

Foundation

Eastern Samar, as a province, was created from Samar province through Republic Act No. 4221 on June 19, 1965.^[8] Approved by Congress in 1963, it was authored by Samar congressmen Eladio T. Balite (1st district), Fernando R. Veloso (2nd district), and Felipe J. Abrigo (3rd district). The law, ratified in a plebiscite on June 19, 1965, divided Samar into three: Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and (Western) Samar. The first provincial officials of Eastern Samar, aside from the lone district representative, were elected on November 14, 1967, and on January 1, 1968, they officially assumed office.

Contemporary

Aerial view of Guiuan in November 2013 on the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

The capital town of Borongan became a component city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9394 which sought to convert the municipality into a city. The law was ratified on June 21, 2007.^[9] However, the cityhood status was lost twice in the years 2008 and 2010 after the LCP questioned the validity of the cityhood law. The cityhood status was reaffirmed after the court finalized its ruling on February 15, 2011, declaring the cityhood law constitutional.^[10]

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded, made its first landfall in the coastal town of Guiuan in November 2013.^[11]

Geography

Eastern Samar covers a total area of 4,660.47 square kilometers (1,799.42 sq mi)^[12] occupying the eastern section and majority of southern Samar's coast of Samar Island in the Eastern Visayas region. The province is bordered to the north by Northern Samar and to the west by Samar. To the east lies the Philippine Sea, part of the vast Pacific Ocean, while to the south lies Leyte Gulf.

Because it faces the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, Eastern Samar suffers heavily from powerful typhoons.^[4]

Administrative divisions

Eastern Samar comprises 22 municipalities and one city, all encompassed by an lone congressional district and two provincial districts that elect a representative and provincial board members, respectively.

Political divisions

City or municipality [i] Population ±% p.a. Area[12] Density Barangay (2020)[2] (2015)[13] km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi Arteche 3.4% 16,360 16,026 +0.39% 138.81 53.59 120 310 20 Balangiga 3.0% 14,341 14,085 +0.34% 190.05 73.38 75 190 13 Balangkayan 2.1% 10,185 10,125 +0.11% 207.05 79.94 49 130 15 Borongan City † 15.1% 71,961 69,297 +0.72% 475.00 183.40 150 390 61 Can-avid 4.5% 21,682 21,015 +0.60% 288.70 111.47 75 190 28 Dolores 9.4% 44,626 42,866 +0.77% 308.58 119.14 140 360 46 General MacArthur 3.0% 14,411 14,550 −0.18% 117.29 45.29 120 310 30 Giporlos 2.7% 13,117 13,308 −0.27% 97.51 37.65 130 340 18 Guiuan 11.2% 53,361 52,991 +0.13% 175.49 67.76 300 780 60 Hernani 1.8% 8,531 8,573 −0.09% 49.42 19.08 170 440 13 Jipapad 1.8% 8,439 7,885 +1.30% 234.80 90.66 36 93 13 Lawaan 2.7% 13,003 12,742 +0.39% 162.56 62.76 80 210 16 Llorente 4.5% 21,459 20,149 +1.21% 496.07 191.53 43 110 33 Maslog 1.1% 5,463 5,407 +0.20% 249.80 96.45 22 57 12 Maydolong 3.2% 15,314 14,743 +0.73% 399.63 154.30 38 98 20 Mercedes 1.3% 6,112 6,070 +0.13% 23.32 9.00 260 670 16 Oras 7.8% 37,451 36,540 +0.47% 188.70 72.86 200 520 42 Quinapondan 3.0% 14,507 14,779 −0.35% 83.24 32.14 170 440 25 Salcedo 4.6% 22,136 22,532 −0.34% 113.80 43.94 190 490 41 San Julian 3.1% 14,800 14,498 +0.39% 150.62 58.15 98 250 16 San Policarpo 3.2% 15,365 14,687 +0.86% 65.70 25.37 230 600 17 Sulat 3.3% 15,758 15,377 +0.47% 169.75 65.54 93 240 18 Taft 3.9% 18,786 18,915 −0.13% 231.27 89.29 81 210 24 Total 477,168 467,160 +0.40% 4,617.16 1,782.70 100 260 597  †  Provincial capital and component city   Municipality The globe  icon marks the city/town center.

Demographics

Population census of Eastern Samar

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	79,645	—
1918	117,348	+2.62%
1939	154,347	+1.31%
1948	197,734	+2.79%
1960	237,747	+1.55%
1970	271,000	+1.32%
1975	287,149	+1.17%
1980	320,637	+2.23%
1990	329,335	+0.27%
1995	362,324	+1.80%
2000	375,822	+0.79%
2007	405,114	+1.04%
2010	428,877	+2.10%
2015	467,160	+1.64%
2020	477,168	+0.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][14]

The population of Eastern Samar in the 2020 census was 477,168 people,^[2] with a density of 100 inhabitants per square kilometre or 260 inhabitants per square mile. The predominant language is Waray^[6] and it is the main lingua franca of the entire island of Samar.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2000 Census, Warays comprised 97.78% (366,787) of the total provincial population of 375,124 at that time. Kapampangan came second at 0.55% (2,067), Bisaya/Binisaya 0.43% (1,613), Cebuano at 0.18% (680), and Tagalog at 0.17% (621).^[15]

Population by ethnicity (2000)[15]
Ethnicity				Number
Waray			366,787 (97.78%)
Kapampangan			2,067 (0.55%)
Bisaya/Binisaya			1,613 (0.43%)
Cebuano			680 (0.18%)
Tagalog			621 (0.17%)
Others			2,510 (0.67%)
Not Reported			846 (0.23%)

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Philippines

Catholicism

The people of the province are devoted catholics where a majority adhere to Roman Catholicism.^[6] The dominant Catholic faith influences the events of the provincial education, politics and social functions of the people.

Others

Other Christians usually form the remaining groups of believers such as the Born-again Christians, Protestants, Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo, Baptists, Methodists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Seventh-day Adventists. Non Christians (mostly Muslims) are also found.

Transportation

The province has one operational airport; Borongan Airport located in the capital city. Currently, only Leascor operates out of Borongan Airport with flights weekly to serve locals and tourists to and from Cebu.

Borongan's Wilsam Uptown Mall, the largest shopping mall in the province

By land, mini buses and vans ply from the regional center in Tacloban, Catbalogan, and Calbayog in Samar province and to some towns in Eastern Samar. From Borongan, buses ply to Metro Manila. Motorized boats plies through Leyte Gulf ferrying passengers going to Tacloban City seaport.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Eastern Samar

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2000 31.78 2003 41.10 2006 51.35 2009 56.36 2012 63.70 2015 51.52 2018 49.46 2021 29.40 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]

Commercial activities in the province are centered on the provincial capital of Borongan while tourism activities are centered in Guiuan town where Calicoan Island and the historical Homonhon Island are located.^[6] Generally, the province's major economic resource is fishery and agriculture which include production of coconut, copra, corn, rice, sugar, and vegetables.^[6] Tourism potential is untapped on the northern part of the province.

Notable people

• Boy Abunda - television host, publicist, talent manager and celebrity endorser.
• Maria Fe Abunda - politician; Eastern Samar's representative in the House of Representatives of the Philippines.
• Aster Amoyo - entertainment writer, television host, and talent manager.
• Gabrielle Camille Basiano - model and beauty pageant titleholder, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2022.
• K Brosas - actress, comedienne and singer.
• Eugenio Daza - Area Commander Southeastern Samar during the Philippine-American War. Organizer of the Balangiga Encounter. Rep. of Samar's 3rd District to the First Philippine Legislature.
• Gabriel Daza - Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St. Sylvester, knighted by Pope Pius XII. Co-founder Boy Scouts of the Philippines.
• R-Ji Lim - singer, actor and model; member of P-pop group Alamat.
• Jewel Ponferada - PBA professional basketball player, currently playing for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
• Art Ramasasa - singer, songwriter and musician in the Waray-Waray language.
• Mastermind - dance group, made popular in their performance in Pilipinas Got Talent season 5. They finally settled for 4th place in the Grand Finals.
• Freddie Abuda - retired professional basketball player, currently serving as an assistant coach to the San Beda Red Lions (NCAA).
• Lutgardo Barbo - Former governor of Eastern Samar, Candidate for the 2022 Senate Elections.
• Marcelino Libanan - Filipino politician
• Ben Evardone - Congressman of Eastern Samar and 6th Governor of Eastern Samar.
• RV Evardone - President of the Eastern Samar chapter of the Philippine Councilors League, Governor-Elect of Eastern Samar.
• Sheen Gonzales - Two-term mayor of Guiuan, Congressman-elect of Eastern Samar
• Andres Pagaran - poet and songwriter^[24]