Naval (IPA: ɐ'val, officially the Municipality of Naval (; ; ), is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

and capital of the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Biliran Biliran, officially the Province of Biliran (Waray language, Waray-Waray: ''Probinsya han Biliran''; ; ), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region (Region VIII). Biliran is one of ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 58,187 people making it the most populous in the province.

History

The town of Naval was once named ''Bagazumbol'', which was perceived by natives as being too warlike a description. The aboriginal name was later modified in 1859 to a more peaceful name—the presently known Naval. On May 26, 1860, Naval was separated from Biliran, but it became an independent parish only in September later that year. The following year, on July 31, 1861, Romualdo Ximeno, Bishop of

Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...

, officially declared Naval an independent parish. In August 1861, Father Santos de Santa Juana took up formal residence as the first parish priest of Naval and served the town for twenty-one years until 1882. On September 26, 1869, Naval was officially established and recognized as an independent ''

pueblo Pueblo refers to the settlements of the Pueblo peoples, Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, currently in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The permanent communities, including some of the oldest continually occupied settlement ...

''. In 1957, the barrio of Higatangan was abolished, and its sitios of Libertad and Mabini were converted into barrios.

Geography

Higatangan Island () is under jurisdiction of Naval Municipality. According to the

Philippine Statistics Authority The Philippine Statistics Authority (; PSA) is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical information on economic, social, demographic, political affairs, and gene ...

, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Biliran, making it the largest municipality in the province.

Barangays

Naval is politically subdivided into 26

barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...

s. Each barangay consists of

purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...

s and some have

sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...

. Barangays Libertad and Mabini are located in Higatangan Island.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, Naval had a population of 58,187. The population density was .

Economy

Government

The mayors of Naval were Absalon Sablada who served from 1952 to 1955; Brigido Caneja Sr. from 1956 to 1971; Arturo Velasquez from 1972 to 1979; Niceto Limpiado from 1980 to 1986; Fortunato Casas from 1986 to 1987; Gorgonio Contredas and Francisca Bangcuyo in 1987; and Simeon Pitao from 1988 to 1997. Gerardo J. Espina Jr. from 1998 to 2004, and Gerardo S. Espina Sr. from 2004 to 2006. Presently, the town is headed by Gerard Roger Espina.

Transportation

* By land: Buses and vans travel to

Tacloban Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city on Leyte island in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, Tacloban has a popu ...

(in

Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...

);

jeepney A jeepney (), or simply a jeep (), is a type of Public transport, public utility vehicle (PUV) that serves as the most popular means of Transportation in the Philippines, public transportation in the Philippines. Known for its crowded seating ...

s go to other towns in

; tricycles or habal-habals are the mode of transport within Naval. *By air: The town is served by Biliran Airport (

ICAO The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sch ...

: RPVQ). Biliran Airport has a runway length of . * By sea:

Pump boat A pump boat (usually Language change, variation as ''pambot'' in local languages) is an outrigger canoe (') native to Southeast Asia powered by a small gasoline or diesel engine. Smaller pump boats might be powered by the sort of small single-cyl ...

s can be taken or chartered for going to Leyte, Higatangan Island, Naval and Mariripi.

Healthcare

Naval has the following health facilities: * Naval Municipal Health Center * Biliran Provincial Hospital * Naval Doctors' Healthcare Services * FCE Polyclinic and Diagnostic * Mother and Child Clinic

Education

The main campus of Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) is located in Naval. Public secondary schools: * Biliran Province State University-Laboratory High School (BiPSU-LHS) * Naval School of Fisheries (NSF) * Naval National High School (NNHS) * Lucsoon National High School (LNHS) * Higatangan National High School (HNHS) Private secondary schools: * Cathedral School of La Naval (CSN) * Limpiado Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Lightbringer Learning Center) Public elementary schools: * Naval Central School (Naval North District) * Naval SpEd (Special Education) Center * Caraycaray Central School (Naval South District) * Agpangi Elementary School * Anislagan Elementary School * Atipolo Elementary School * Borac Elementary School * Cabungaan Elementary School * Calumpang Elementary School * Capinahan Elementary School * Catmon Elementary School * Haguikhikan Elementary School * Higatangan Elementary School * Imelda Elementary School * Larazabal Elementary School * Libtong Elementary School * Lico Elementary School * Lucsoon Elementary School * P.S. Eamiguel Elementary School * San Pablo Elementary School * Sabang Elementary School * Talustusan Elementary School * Villa Caneja Elementary School * Villa Consuelo Elementary School Private elementary schools: * Cathedral School of La Naval * Limpiado Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Lightbringer Learning Center)

References

External links

* * * Philippine Standard Geographic Code
Biliran Island
{{Authority control Municipalities of Biliran Provincial capitals of the Philippines