ANALYZE THE CULTURE OF THE REGION THAT GAVE RISE TO SPECIFIC RELIGION

REGION 8
EASTERN VISAYAS
HISTORY OF REGION VIII EASTERN VISAYAS
Visayas is one of the two regions of the Philippines having no land
border with another region, MIMAROPA being the other, and
designated as Region VIII.
It has six provinces:
Biliran
Eastern Samar
Leyte
Northern Samar
Southern LeyteEastern
 This are some poorest provinces in the country.
 Agricultural development has been slow and highly selective to
few pockets of more enterprising (and well-off) farmers because of
the typically rugged interior of the two man island, agriculture has
been limited to mostly the coastal areas and small inland valleys.
 Heavy industry has been confined to a small industrial zone on the
northwest of the Leyte island much of the hinterlands, especially in
Samar, is now heavily forested having a change to recuperate from
the devastating logging operations in the 1970’s and 1980’s .

 It was Samar and Leyte which the renowned Portuguese explorer

Ferdinand Magellan first saw and landed on after his long voyage
across the Pacific in 1521.

The first Christians in Southeast Asia were the people of Limasawa

where the first mass was held. Five centuries later, General Douglas
MacArthur led the Allies to a victory in the Battle Of Leyte wherein
the ensuing naval battle, now known as the Battle Of Leyte Gulf.

 Leyte became the secure foothold of the Allies in conquering back

the archipelago, and eventually the rest of Asia, from the Japanese.
CULTURE AND BELIEFS
Cultural groups
- Region VIII is inhabited by the Waray-Warays, the country’s
fourth largest cultural linguistic group. Cebuanos from the nearby of
Cebu live in Ormoc City, Western Leyte and parts of the Southwest of
Leyte.

HISTORY OF EASTERN SAMAR, PHILIPPINES

(The Land Of Good Harbors)

Eastern Samar became independent province by virtue of Republic

Act No. 4221 which Congress approved on June 19, 1965 dividing
the existing old province of Samar into three separates provinces,
namely; Northern Samar, Western Samar, Eastern Samar.
 It was in Eastern Samar where Ferdinand Magellan in Homonhon
Island in the town of Guiuan on March 16, 1521, in what is now
officially recognized as the discovery of the Philippines by the
Western World.

Magellan called the place Zamal. Sustained contact with Western

civilization occurred as early as 1596. Jesuit missionaries worked
their way from the western coast of the island of Samar and
established mission centers in what is now Eastern Samar territory.

FESTIVAL IN EASTERN SAMAR

March 16 (Karapayan Festival, Blessed Virgin Mother)
- A colorful festival depiciting how the early Guiuan Townsfolk
enjoyed nature’s bounties, rich marine life, fertile land, verdant forest.
It is also a thanksgiving to their Patroness, the blessed Virgin Mother.
• May 1 (S.t Francis of Assisi)- Mercedes
• May 8 ( The Divine Child)- Law-an
• May 15 (S.t Isidore the Farmer)- Salcedo
• May 27 (S.t Isidore the Farmer)- Maslog
• June 13 (S.t Anthony of Padua)- Llorente
• July 15 (Our Lady Of The Seven Sorrows)- San Julian
• August 27( S.t Joseph)- Gen. MacArthur
• September 8 ( The Nativity of Our Lady)
• December 8(Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception)
CULTURE AND BELIEFS
 Religion
- The people of the province are devoted Christians where 96%
adhere to Roman Catholicism. The dominant Catholic faith influences the
events of the provincial education, politics, and social functions of the
people.
- Other Christians usually form the remaining groups of believers such
as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Baptists, Methodists, Church of
Christ of Latter Day Saint’s Seventh-Day Adventist. Non- Christians (mostly
Muslims) are also found.
 History of Northern Samar, Philippines
(Hidden Paradise Of Visayas)
The province of Northern Samar was created by Republic Act No. 4211 which was approved by the Congress on June 19,
1965 dividing the whole island of Samar into three provinces namely; Northern Samar, Western Samar, and Eastern
Samar. As embodied in this Act, the eastern province is composed of 24 municipalities with Borongan as the Capital.
A visit to the century old church in the Capul Island brings you to the 16th century. Only missionary fervour made
possible the building of this church on this island.

FESTIVAL IN NORTHERN SAMAR


A festivity practiced by the People of Catarman since 1922, featuring a re-enactment of how the Filipino natives where
christianized by the Spanish Conquistadores. It was officially made into a provincial festival in 1992.

•Last Sunday Of January (Sakay-Sakay Fluvial Procession)- Laoang

•March 16 ( Parayan Harvest Festival)- San Roque
•April 29 (S.t Vincent Ferrer)- Lope De Vega
•May 14-15 (S.t Isidore the Farmer)- Silvino Lobos
•June 24( John The Baptist)- Pambujan
• August 14-15 (Our Lady Of Assumption)- Palapag
• September 14-15(S.t Michael the Archangel)- Gamay
• October 6-7(Our Lady Of The Holy Rosary)- Rosario

CULTURE AND BELIEFS

 Religions
- The communities of this province are predominantly Catholic (95%).
Other religious groups are Members Church Of God International (Ang
Dating Daan), Iglesia Ni Cristo, Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan),
Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses Church Of Jesus Christ Of
Latter- Day Saints and other Christian sects. A small number of population
are Muslim.
 HISTORY OF SAMAR, PHILIPPINES
 Prior to the approval of Republic Act No. 4221 on June 19, 1965’ Samar
province comprised the whole island of Samar. Under this act, the
western portion was created as a separate province named Western
Samar. A subsequent legislation (Republic Act No. 5650) however,
changed the name of the province of Samar on June 21, 1969.
The Jesuit missionaries founded Samar in 1596. They introduced the
Roman Catholic faith to the people of Samar. When the Jesuits left Samar
in 1796, the Spanish Franciscans took over the administration.
FESTIVALS IN SAMAR
 May 25 (Pahoy-Pahoy Festival, Our Lady Of The Annunciation)- Calbiga
- Pahoy- Pahoy Festival is a ritual and has become part of annual town
fiesta. It is held every May 25 in Calbiga, Samar. The town of Calbiga showcases
giant pahoy-pahoy (scarecrows) made of indigenous materials dancing in the
streets to the sound of musical instruments made up of bamboos, cans and stones
that scare the maya or ricebirds. It features the legend of Pahoy as they drive off
evil spirits and ricebirds that ruined their rice lands and agriculture. They
commemorate the time when tribe ‘humaniod’ saved the village settlers from
famine.
• January 15 (Damaramsiyaw Festival, Holy Child)- Daram
• February 22 ( Holy Child)- Pangsajan
• May 5 ( Sacred Heart Of Jesus)- Almagro
• August 24 ( Mangirisda and Pintados Festival, S.t Bartholomew the
Apostle) – Catbalogan Samar
• September 29( Karabaw Festival, S.t Michael the Archangel)-
Gandara
• October 3 ( Soleda, Our Lady of Solitude)- Catbalogan City

CULTURE AND BELIEFS

 Religion
- Samar (Western Samar) is predominantly Roman Catholic. The
Catholic Hierarchy (2014) stated that 95% of its population adheres to
Roman Catholicism. Some other Christian believers constitute most of the
remainder such as Born Again Christians, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Baptists,
Methodists, Jehovah’s Witnesses Church Of Christ of Latter Day Saints and
Seventh Day Adventist. Muslims are also present.
 History Of Southern Leyte, Philippines
Father of the Province of Southern Leyte: Hon. Congressman
Nicanor E. Yniguez rough House Bill No. 1318. Legal Basis of the
Creation of the Province of southern Leyte: Republic Act No. 2227
signed by President Carlos P. Garcia on May 22, 1959, Friday at
10:00 o’clock in the morning. Effective Date of the Creation of the
Province of Southern Leyte: July 1, 1960.

FESTIVAL IN SOUTHERN LEYTE

• January 15 (Sinulog Festival, Holy Child)- Malitbog
• March 31 ( Holy Cross, Sinugdan Festival)- Limasawa
• May 15 (S.t Isidore the Farmer)- S.t Bernard
• June 5 (S.t Joseph)- Hinundayan
• August 10 ( Pabulihon Festival, City Charter Day)- Maasin City
• September 29 ( S.t Michael the Archangel)- Macrohon
• December 8 ( Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception)- Libagon
CULTURE AND BELIEFS
• Religion
- Our Lady Of Assumption in Maasin City Limasawa, an island
municipality to the south, is believed to be the site of the first
Christian mass and the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines,
when Ferdinand Magellan , a Portuguese navigator and explorer
landed on March 28, 1521. The first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was
held on March 31, 1521 led by Friar Pedro de Valderrama, the
chaplain of Magellan during the expedition.

- People in the province are generally Roman Catholics.

Generally 89% of them adhere to the Roman Catholic Church but not
traditions still influence the people in the province.
Other Religions affiliations include:
- Iglesia Ni Cristo
- Jehovah’s Witnesses and the
- Seventh-Day Adventist Church among others
• Beliefs
- Although most people are Christians, a vey few who live
in remote villages of the province hold on to pre- spanish
influences and make 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
cause of good harvest will grant them one.