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1 HISTORY OF THE BARANGAY 11

For over a hundred years, the municipality was known as "Lanang". The name Lanang was derived from
a local dialect "tanang" which is translated as over-riped bananas implying the abundance then of
bananas in the locality.

As the municipality grew progressively, the name Lanang became popular and its inhabitants were
called "Langanon".

The humble beginning of the said municipality dated back in pro-Spanish Era. Oral tradition revealed
that the first settlers of the place came from the town of Borongan, about 40 kilometers north, who built
a hut on a lot called locally as "Lopok" located at the eastern side of the present Roman Catholic Church,
south of the mouth of Llorente River (Lang River) and directly facing the Pacific Ocean in the east. The
second group of settlers came from Guiuan, a town about 70 kilometers south, who discovered the
place while hunting wild pigs. They first settled along a river bank near the mouth of Tongkip River.
Later, they transferred and established themselves near the first settlers due to the presence of a good
source of portable water called "bodyongan" which is situated across the Llorente River.

In 1783, El Pueblo de Lanang was established with about 3,800 inhabitants. Catholic faith was inculcated
to the natives through the efforts of the parish priest of Pueblo de Borongan, Fray de San Jose Osam. On
May 14, 1851, Governor General Don Antonio de Uzbiztondo approved the independent parish status of
Lanang with R.P.T Jose de Lilio as the first Parish, although ecclesiastical administration was still
dependent on the Parish of Pueblo de Borongan

When the Americans came in 1898, Lanang was already a thriving community. It was during the regime
that the name Lanang was changed to Llorente in honor of Julio Llorente as the first civil governor of the
whole island of Samar (Samar island comprised only province then.). Moreover, there was another
reason to change the name of Lanang to clearly identify it and avoid confusion with Laoang, a
municipality at the north of Samas island which is now part of Northern Samar Province and has a close
similarity in spelling and pronunciation with Lanang.