Sunday, May 23, 2010
Leyte Province
Posted on 11:58 AM by ashertrix
Leyte is an island province in the eastern section of the Visayas region. It is rich in history, culture, natural resources, and scenic spots. Leyte is among the feature-rich provinces in the country with diverse traits and attractions to stir the interest of any traveler—like a cut diamond of countless sparkling facets.
Sitting amidst neighboring Visayan provinces Leyte is steeped in qualities derived from their strong influences. In fact, its constituents are of two types classified by two influential dialects: Cebuanos and Warays. Cebuano speakers of Leyte are mostly found in the southwest and Waray speakers in the northeast. Leyte people are tugged sideways by a range of influences, but mainly from Cebu and Samar.
Leyte’s other neighboring provinces are Masbate on the north side, Bacolod on the far west, Bohol on the southwest, and Surigao directly to its south. Bodies of water surrounding the province lend accessibility to it, like the Bohol Sea, Pacific Ocean, and the Visayan Sea. These features contribute to Leyte’s being a jewel in the Visayan region and a strategic location this side of the country.
Sanjuanico bridge
International explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, being so mesmerized at the first sight of the island, called it “Las Islas Felipinas” in 1543. In another circumstance, American forces in 1945 deemed Leyte as a crucial position in the region and in the entire archipelago to launch a major offense against the Japanese forces. The 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf is a memorable event in the history of Leyte, as well as the world famous landing of General Douglas MacArthur at Palo, Leyte.
Today, Leyte residents are preoccupied with rice farming on the plain, particularly in its capital city, Tacloban, and coconut farming on its more hilly and mountainous regions. People on the coasts of Leyte still enjoy fishing, and perfect dive sites are also available in 5 places: two in Padre Burgos, Donsol, Macrohon, and Hilongos. Leyte has 3 main cities (Tacloban, Ormoc, and Baybay) and 40 municipalities. Ormoc is an independent city.
For a quick look at Leyte’s picturesque and memorable tourist attractions we have Buga-Buga Hills in Villaba, Leyte, and Hill 120 or “Catmon Hill” in Dulag, Leyte. Both are war memorials. There’s the famous Santo Nino Shrine and its Heritage Museum in Tacloban, and, of course, Southeast Asia’s longest bridge, San Juanico, connecting Leyte and Samar.
Leyte conjures many images of the past as well as potential in the future. It also brings together people of various origins and cultural backgrounds for a rich adventure any traveler will enjoy experiencing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
![[Valid Atom 1.0]](valid-atom.png "Validate my Atom 1.0 feed")
No Response to "Leyte Province"
Leave A Reply