A Written Report on Local Historical Promotion

Readings in the Philippine History

LA PAZ: A LANDLOCKED MUNICIPALITY IN THE COASTAL

PROVINCE OF LEYTE

Submitted by:

Albao, Kurt Leonard P. 477

Almaden, Angela 477
Boco, Kamyrym Ice A. 473
Deladia, Jhezka Anne B. 473
Enaburi, Felisa C. 477
Hermosilla, Jason B. 477
Illahi, Christine Jemielou C. 473
Mahidlawon, Meca Isil R. 477
Natividad, Ahyvhann M. 473
Quitorio, Mary Yelaine O. 473

Submitted to:

Ms. Jessa Baldomar, LPT

Instructor 5

November, 2022
I. CONTENT
Origin of Lapaz

The municipality of La Paz is a fifth-class municipality

in the coastal province of Leyte. It was once a sitio named
"Cabadyangan." When the question of an official name came
up, the people unanimously selected the name "La Paz" in
honor of their patroness, Nuestra Seora de La Paz y Buen Viaje
(Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage).
In 1903, La Paz was made a barrio of Burauen. Capitán
Estefanio de Paz was the first teniente del barrio. Three leaders
went to Manila to petition the central government to raise La
Paz to the status of a municipality. Don Nicasio Martinez
Vivero, a man from Tolosa, Leyte, and an educator in LaPaz at
that time, was one of the Three Leaders. With the help of provincial leaders, La Paz was declared a
fourth-class town in 1918. After the Township Declaration, Lapaznons gathered for their first
elections, and they elected Nicasio Vivero as the First Municipal President (Mayor) of La Paz.
On July 14, 1942, the Japanese forces invaded La Paz. A company of soldiers occupied the
town with their garrison at the central school building, but because guerrillas constantly harassed
them, the troops stayed in La Paz for only three weeks. However, one month later, more troops came.
They constructed strong trenches around the school site. The Japanese abolished existing political
parties and formed the "Kalibapi." They organized the local government and appointed a puppet
mayor.

Atty. Pedro Kahano Palaña,

Jr., the son-in-law of Nicasio
Vivero and also a native of Tolosa,
Leyte, was the puppet mayor of La
Paz. Leyte was captured by the
Japanese soldiers together with
Nicasio’s two children, Antonio
Lubin and Maria Salud. Palaa
served as mayor until the end of
World War 2. The Japanese tried to
control the whole population of La Paz and organized neighborhood associations in the Poblacion as
well as in the barrios. Schools were opened with an emphasis on Nihongo, the Japanese language,
and Asian ideologies.
Guerrillas infiltrated the town to learn about the enemy's strength, which was considered
important information for the coming liberation. Many La Paznons risked their lives on these
dangerous missions. In 1944, La Paz was liberated.
Population

According to the 2022 census, there were 19,998 people living in La Paz, Leyte, at a density of
670 people per square mile or 260 people per square kilometer. Contrarily, La Paz (formerly a barrio
in the province of Leyte called Burauen) (formerly a barangay of Burauen in the province of Leyte).
Spanish constitutional control over La Paz began in 1918. Politically, La Paz is divided into 35
barangays, including the following:

Bagacay East Cagngaran Gimiranat East Pansud Quiong

Bagacay West Calabnian Gimiranat West Pawa Rizal
Bongtod Calaghusan Limba Piliway San Victoray
Bocawon Caltayan Lubi-lubi Poblacion District 1 Santa Ana
Buracan Canbañez Luneta Poblacion District 2 Santa Elena
Caabangan Cogon Mag-aso Poblacion District 3 Tabang
Cacao Duyog Moroboro Poblacion District 4 Tarugan

Common Traditions

The municipality of Lapaz takes pride in having traditions and customs that can be considered
to be uniquely Filipino, just like any other culture.
The following special customs reflect the values and beliefs that have been ingrained in the
area over the years.

Pagmamano

One of the oldest and most renowned Filipino customs, is

practiced as a show of respect for elders. Spanish has the
word mano, which is appropriate because pagmamano
involves an elder gently tapping a younger person's forehead.
The act is also frequently referred to as "bless" because the
elder responds with "God bless you."

Budol Fight

Being Filipinos, Lapaznon enjoy eating, and when the

fare is particularly delectable, they indulge in "Budol
Fight". The term kamayan, which derives from the
Filipino word kamay, or hand, refers to the custom of
eating with just one's hands.
 Fiesta

Every Lapaznon looks forward to the fiesta, which is a

common tradition, once a year. The vibrant fiestas that take
place all year long in the Philippines are the celebration you
wouldn't want to miss out on while visiting. Fiesta
celebrations were primarily done to honor patron saints and
are another legacy of the Spanish colonizers.

Pamamanhikan

The pamamanhikan, also known as "pamamalayi,"

occurs after the panliligaw (courtship) stage has been
completed, all harana (serenades) have been sung, and
the couple has finally gotten together. A guy formally
asking a girl's family for her hand in marriage is known
as pamamanhikan. Typically, gifts are brought over by
the guy's family, and the couple talks about their
wedding plans.

Death Reminiscing

One of the customs practiced by Lapaznon is "paquarenta,

patikang, and tapos." Catholics in the Philippines will pray
the rosary for nine days following a loved one's passing. 40
days after the loss, along with the one-year anniversary,
another rosary is said. Funeral attendees frequently present
the family with cash as a token of their love and to help
with the funeral expenses.

Disco before Fiesta

The disco is the nighttime hot spot. A typical nighttime

activity in the Philippines is street disco, which attracts both
young and old people. Additionally, there is a disco that is
sponsored by individuals who run businesses elsewhere.
Once a year, when a fiesta is being celebrated, local
residents get together to celebrate as well. Some visitors are
from other places who are only in town to enjoy the fiesta.
Social Problem - Way of Living

"It was so bright that day, and not just because of the noontime sun directly over our heads. It
was another thing entirely": the dreams shared by the people of Barangay Mag-aso in La Paz, Leyte.
Mag-aso is an hour-and-a-half drive from Tacloban City proper. It is accessible through a rough road
which becomes slippery and muddy when it rains.

Most of the people depend on agriculture. “Before, we really did not worry about feeding our
families. We had abundant abaca and coconut trees from which we derive our income,” Elvira
Andrade, a livelihood group leader in the barangay, shared. “We even had time to play bingo.
Yolanda changed all that,” she added. Agina Gabreno, the village secretary, recalled what happened
when one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded hit their community. “We thought it was the end of
the world. The winds and the rain terrified us, and we cannot see our surroundings,” she said. “Our
families and possessions were all drenched. We were cold and hungry.” With most of the abaca and
coconut trees destroyed, the community faced a great challenge. But the people were not about to
give up.

Immediately after the storm, they set upon clearing roads so that supplies can get to them. They
also redistributed and rationed what little rice and bananas they gathered and received. ACCORD and
CARE, with the support of the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection
department (ECHO) and the Dutch Cooperating Aid Agencies (SHO), built on this practice of
bayanihan (mutual aid) with their shelter assistance. Neighbors helped each other and prioritized
rebuilding the houses of the most vulnerable such as the elderly and those with disabilities. They did
not only receive shelter repair kits and cash support but also technical assistance in the form of
training on Build Back Safer techniques. Initial training on community-based disaster risk
management (CBDRM) also broadened their understanding of how socio-economic and structural
conditions render them vulnerable to disasters like Yolanda.
 For the livelihood recovery phase, ACCORD and CARE helped the people organize themselves
into livelihood groups. The list of income-generating activities they came up with included raising
livestock, managing sari-sari stores, and planting crops. Many of them, for the first time in their lives,
picked up their tools and cultivated crops they were not really used to: cassava, gabi (taro), peanuts,
and corn. This diversification of livelihoods and crops is part of ACCORD and CARE’s strategy to
strengthen community resilience. “We were encouraged to plant different crops in our backyards and
idle lots so that we can have an additional source of food,” Dolly Odo, treasurer of the livelihood
group, said. By having a wide variety of activities, the community can be self-reliant especially
during emergencies. But the community wanted to go big or go home.

“If we only utilized the cash assistance we received in individual activities, we cannot scale up.
We want something bigger.” It was then that all 148 of their barangay’s beneficiaries decided to allot
P3,500 (around $81*) each from the cash grants they received. It was with this amount that they set
upon the construction of a cornmill for the barangay. Their neighboring barangays ask, “Why corn?
And why a cornmill?” “It only takes 3 months to harvest corn, and we are able to make rice from it.
A cornmill here in our barangays would mean that we, along with other barangays in La Paz, would
not have to go to another municipality to have our grains processed,” Andrade would answer.

The men had to commit a set amount of time to help build the cornmill as constructing one was
not easy. They also had to work the fields for their livelihood in the area. The women also
contributed by cooking the food, clearing the area, and devising budgets to guide project
implementation. Andrade proudly shared they have placed their order for the machinery and expect to
open the cornmill this November. Their planned cornmill is different from other businesses, where
profits are divided among the members every month. “The earnings will not go back to us. It will be
invested in the bank, and will go into the future purchase of a solar drier, and eventually a rice mill,”
she said.

The people of Mag-aso do not have it easy. Life remains hard. Incomes are low. Most of them
are tenants, with just a few families owning most of the productive land in the area. This would
clearly be a challenge to recovery going forward. But still, one cannot help but be proud of such
strong women who made things happen. Not content with merely standing behind their men, they
have stepped up to the challenge brought by Yolanda. Now working hard from sunrise to sunset on
their crops instead of idly chit-chatting, they still seem to appreciate the change in their community.

“We never dreamed of such things before. Thank you to everyone who believed in us and made
us believe that we can scale up our dreams,” a thankful Andrade said.
Other Information

Here are the tourism assets of La Paz. So, from their municipal hall, it would take a minute of a
tricycle ride to go to the barangay hall of their barangay. Bocawon, where there are barangay officials
designated to accompany the tourists in going to Calabato Hot Spring. Because the road is still being
built, tourists are advised to walk for about 20 minutes because it is located deep within the quiet
town of La Paz.You’ll never get tired of walking since the tourism officers will entertain you with
stories about La Paz until you reach your destination. You’ll see a large squash-shaped stone near
where it got its name. The reddish-yellowish or reddish color of the stone is because of the sulfur
beneath it. The hot spring makes it perfect for keeping your skin elastic, beautiful, and young-
looking. And what’s amazing here is that on its right side is a cold spring coming from a fall from
which the municipality is still developing.

Also, a 15-minute tricycle ride from the town

proper will lead you to the La Conchita Resort. It is
located in Barangay Mag–Aso, La Paz, Leyte. It does
not just offer refreshing water but at the same time
gives an awesome feel of nature’s beauty, which
excites incoming guests and visitors.
Another resort located in La Paz is Lakabay's
Harapitan Resort, which was just built on January 11,
2017.

Government Leaders

Mayor : Angel A. Sia Jr.

Vice-Mayor : Lyndo A. Quiña
Representative : Lolita T. Javier

Councilor : Joel C. Cinco Gloria M. Tejome

Valerie Grace S. Quiña ·Odell R. Baroña
Ricky C. Chua Relly F. Relano
Oscar G. Tan-Piengco Arvin G. Terado

Electorate : 14,391 voters

Others

Demonym : Lapaznon
Electricity Service
Provider : Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Coperative (DORELCO)

Income Class : 5th Municipal Income Class

Zip Code : 6508

Demonym : Lapaznon
Native Languages : Waray - Waray
Filipino
II. DOCUMENTATION

La Conchita Resort, as locals call it, is a

spring water resort situated in a woodland in
Barangay Mag–Aso, La Paz, Leyte. This has
been declared by the provincial tourism
department as a tourist destination, so we're
telling you as early as now that you must
travel at your own risk and always be a
responsible traveler wherever you may go.
Gather as much useful information about the
place before scheduling your trip.

We were utterly amazed and couldn't

imagine how lovely the natural environment
was. We came to understand that nature has
immeasurable beauty that is unmatched by
anything else. This journey was worthwhile
enough to provide a wonderful life
experience.

 The resort's caretaker took this photo. The

rock we stepped on was called "kalabato," and
it had a pumpkin-like shape. It also had a
small hole in it, from which hot water was
bubbling up.

We were astounded by the hot water that

emerges from the tiny hole because it makes
us feel cool and refreshed. There, the water
is not scorching hot enough to cause skin
burns. Additionally, the caretaker added the
flower there so that it would look prettier in
the picture.
 We had never met before, so we weren't this
close. However, while having fun, we make an
effort to communicate with one another and
eventually develop a friendship.

Through this journey, we were able to forge

connections with others, share amazing and
memorable experiences, and gain new
knowledge as a group.
 Considering that we had no idea how deep the
spring water was, we are all afraid at this
point. The caretaker, however, helped us
realize that it wasn't particularly deep. Since
the water was so clean at that time, we could
relax and enjoy swimming in it.

We had no idea that the trip would be the

start of a friendship or a journey for us to
connect. For a close connection, this location
was ideal. Even though some of the other
members of the group were unable to join us
on the journey, this picture will still allow
them to share in our joy.
III. SOURCES

Primary Sources
Municipality of La Paz | (DILG)
"2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and
Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City,
Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on
May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
Census of Population (2020). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population
by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
"PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates".
Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population
by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)".
Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved
29 June 2016.
Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Table 1.
Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City:
1903 to 2007. NSO.
"Province of Leyte". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities
Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
"Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 28 December
2020.
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/NSCB_LocalPovertyPhilippines_0.pdf;
publication date: 29 November 2005; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2003%20SAE%20of%20poverty%20%28Fu
ll%20Report%29_1.pdf; publication date: 23 March 2009; publisher: Philippine
Statistics Authority.
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2006%20and%202009%20City%20and%20
Municipal%20Level%20Poverty%20Estimates_0_1.pdf; publication date: 3
August 2012; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2012%20Municipal%20and%20City%20Lev
el%20Poverty%20Estima7tes%20Publication%20%281%29.pdf; publication
date: 31 May 2016; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/City%20and%20Municipal-
level%20Small%20Area%20Poverty%20Estimates_%202009%2C%202012%20
and%202015_0.xlsx; publication date: 10 July 2019; publisher: Philippine
Statistics Authority.
Secondary Sources
1."PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates".
Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
2.https://www.rappler.com/moveph/76387-diversifying-livelihood-dreams-
yolanda/
3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Paz,_Leyte
4.https://www.philatlas.com/visayas/r08/leyte/la-paz.html
5.https://www.wikiwand.com/en/La_Paz,_Leyte