Western Samar
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Samar, officially the Province of Samar ( war, Probinsya han Samar; tl, Lalawigan ng Samar), formerly named as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the
Eastern Visayas Eastern Visayas ( war, Sinirangan Kabisay-an; ceb, Sidlakang Kabisay-an; tl, Silangang Kabisayaan or ''Silangang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main islands, Samar, ...
region. Its capital is the city of
Catbalogan Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
. It is bordered by
Northern Samar Northern Samar ( war, Amihanan Samar/Norte san Samar; tl, Hilagang Samar), officially the Province of Northern Samar, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Regions of the Philippines, regio ...
,
Eastern Samar Eastern Samar (Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; tl, Silangang Samar), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan. Eastern Samar occupies ...
,
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 be ...
and the
Leyte Gulf Leyte Gulf is a gulf in the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. The bay is part of the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, and is bounded by two islands; Samar in the north and Leyte in the west. On the south of the bay is Mindanao Isl ...
, and includes several islands in the
Samar Sea The Samar Sea is a small sea within the Philippine archipelago, situated between the Bicol Region of Luzon and the Eastern Visayas. It is bordered by the islands of Samar to the east, Leyte to the south, Masbate to the west, and Luzon to the nort ...
. Samar is connected to the island of Leyte via the
San Juanico Bridge The San Juanico Bridge ( fil, Tulay ng San Juanico; war, Tulay han San Juanico) is part of the Pan-Philippine Highway and stretches from Samar to Leyte across the San Juanico Strait in the Philippines. Its longest length is a steel girder via ...
. In 1768, Leyte and modern Samar were created out of the historical province of Samar. In 1965, Northern and Eastern Samar were created. Fishing and agriculture are the major economic activities in the province. On 8 November 2013, the province was significantly damaged by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), particularly the towns of
Basey Basey, officially the Municipality of Basey ( war, Bungto han Basey; tl, Bayan ng Basey), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 56,685 people. On 8 November 2013 ...
, Marabut and Santa Rita.


Etymology

''Samar'' is said to derive from the word ''Samad'', a
Visayan Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
word for "wound" or "cut", describing the rough physical features of the land which is rugged and deeply dissected by streams.


History

* 2 million-8000 B.C — Based on geologic findings, during the ice ages (2 million years – 8000 B.C), the islands of Mindoro, Luzon, and Mindanao were connected as one big island through the islands of Samar, Leyte and Bohol. * 8550 B.C. — Diggings in Sohoton Caves in Basey, Samar showed stone flake tools dated 8550 B.C. * 1200 — Other diggings along the Basey River revealed other stone flakes used until the 13th century. * 1543 — The explorer
Ruy López de Villalobos Ruy López de Villalobos (; ca. 1500 – April 4, 1546) was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Pacific from Mexico to establish a permanent foothold for Spain in the East Indies, which was near the Line of Demarcation between Spain and Portugal a ...
, first came to the island and named it ''Las Islas Filipinas''. * 1596 — Many names (such as ''Samal'', ''Ibabao'', ''Tandaya'') were given to Samar Island prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. The name "Samar" was derived from the local language ''samad,'' meaning "wound" or "cut", aptly describing the rough physical features of the island, rugged and deeply dissected by streams. During the early days of Spanish occupation, Samar was under the jurisdiction of
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
. * Arrival of the First Catholic Missionaries (Jesuits) — On October 15, 1596, the first
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
missionaries arrived in ''Tinago'' (now Dapdap) in Tarangnan. From Tinago, the missionaries, Fr. Francisco de Otazo, Bartolome Martes and Domingo Alonzo began teaching
Catechism A catechism (; from grc, κατηχέω, "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult c ...
, healing the sick and spreading the
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
faith into the interior settlements. * 1649 to 1650 — On June 1, 1649, the people of
Palapag Palapag, officially the Municipality of Palapag ( war, Bungto han Palapag; tl, Bayan ng Palapag), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 34,034 people. It i ...
led by Agustin Sumuroy revolted against the decree of
Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
Diego Fajardo requiring able bodied men from the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao ...
for service at the Cavite Shipyards. Like wildfire, the revolt quickly spread to the neighboring town in the Northern and Western coast of Samar and to the nearby provinces of Bicol, Surigao,
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
,
Camiguin Camiguin, officially the Province of Camiguin ( ceb, Probinsya sa Camiguin; tl, Lalawigan ng Camiguin; Kamigin: ''Probinsya ta Kamigin''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Min ...
and as far as Zamboanga. It was suppressed in 1650 by the combined forces of the
Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...
, Lutaos, and Pampangos. * 1735 — Samar and Leyte were united into one province with
Carigara Carigara (), officially the Municipality of Carigara ( war, Bungto han Carigara; tl, Bayan ng Carigara), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,656 people. The ...
, in Leyte, as the capital town. * 1747 — Samar and Leyte were separated for administrative effectiveness. * 1762 — Complaints from the Jesuits that the division was not working well, thus it was reunited again by the approval from the King of Spain. * 1768 — Jesuits were expelled in all Spanish dominions. The Franciscans arrived on September 25, 1768, and took over the administration of 14 of the 17 parishes which were under the spiritual care of the Jesuits for almost 172 years. The administration of the remaining three parishes namely Guiuan, Balangiga and Basey in the south of Samar were given to the Augustinians. * 1777 — The two provinces were divided for the last time, it was approved in Madrid in 1786 and had been effective in 1799. * 1803 — Guiuan, Balangiga and Basey were turned over to the Franciscans for the lack of Augustinian priests. * Royal Decree declares Samar as a Province — On August 11, 1841,
Queen Isabella II of Spain Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
signed a
Royal Decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for ...
declaring Samar as a province. * 1900 — The Battle of Catubig (April 15–18, 1900) occurred during the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. On April 15, 1900, the Filipino guerrillas launched a surprise attack on a detachment of the US 43rd Infantry Regiment, forcing the Americans to abandon Catubig town after the four-day siege. * 1901 — The
Balangiga massacre The Battle of Balangiga ( es, Batalla de Balangíga; tl, Labanan sa Balangiga; war, Gubat ha Balangiga), also known as the Balangiga Encounter, Balangiga Incident, or Balangiga Conflict, was a battle that occurred during the Philippine–Ameri ...
occurred during the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. September 28, 1901, the people of Balangiga,
Giporlos Giporlos (IPA: hiˈporlɔs, officially the Municipality of Giporlos ( war, Bungto han Giporlos; tl, Bayan ng Giporlos), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populati ...
,
Lawaan Lawaan, officially the Municipality of Lawaan ( war, Bungto han Lawaan; tl, Bayan ng Lawaan), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 13,003 people. It is h ...
and Quinapondan in
Eastern Samar Eastern Samar (Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; tl, Silangang Samar), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan. Eastern Samar occupies ...
surprised and attacked the American forces stationed there, killing 48 American soldiers. To avenge their defeat, American general
Jacob H. Smith General Jacob Hurd Smith (January 29, 1840 – March 1, 1918) was a U.S. Army officer notorious for ordering indiscriminate retaliation on the island of Samar in response to what is called the Balangiga massacre during the Philippine–Amer ...
ordered his men to turn Samar into a "howling wilderness". * 1910 — On April 10, 1910, upon the papal bull of Pope Pius X separated the islands of Samar and Leyte from the Diocese of Cebu and erected the Diocese of Calbayog comprising both islands. Pablo Singzon de Anunciacion was named first Bishop and consecrated on June 12, 1910. * 1942 — The occupying
Imperial Japanese forces The Imperial Japanese Armed Forces (IJAF) were the combined military forces of the Japanese Empire. Formed during the Meiji Restoration in 1868,"One can date the 'restoration' of imperial rule from the edict of 3 January 1868." p. 334. they ...
arrived in the province of Samar. * 1944 — The
Battle off Samar The Battle off Samar was the centermost action of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history, which took place in the Philippine Sea off Samar Island, in the Philippines on October 25, 1944. It was the only major ...
took place on October 24 as Vice Admiral
Takeo Kurita was a vice admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Kurita commanded IJN 2nd Fleet, the main Japanese attack force during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history. Biography Early life Takeo Kurita ...
's Center Force warships clashed with several allied naval vessels in a collision course. His forces sank escort carrier , destroyers and , and escort destroyer , but at a cost of his cruisers ''Chikuma'', , and . Despite being a tactical victory for the
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
, it did not alter the course of the Philippines campaign. * 1965 — On June 19, the
Philippine Congress The Congress of the Philippines ( fil, Kongreso ng Pilipinas, italic=unset) is the legislature of the national government of the Philippines. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, although colloquially the ter ...
along with the three Samar Representatives, Eladio T. Balite (1st District), Fernando R. Veloso (2nd District) and Felipe J. Abrigo (3rd District), approved ''
Republic Act This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Sources of Philippine laws ;Notes : *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 4221'' dividing the region of Samar into three divisions: ''Northern Samar'', ''Eastern Samar'', and ''Western Samar''. Each region adopted a new capital:
Catbalogan Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
(Western Samar),
Borongan Borongan, officially the City of Borongan ( Waray: ''Siyudad han Borongan''; fil, Lungsod ng Borongan), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
(Eastern Samar), and Catarman (Northern Samar). * 1969 — On June 21, under ''Republic Act No. 5650'', ''Western Samar'' was renamed ''Samar'' with Catbalogan still as the capital. * 2013 — On November 8,
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
, locally known as Typhoon Yolanda hit Samar province. More than 300 people perished on the first day it hit the province. * 2018 — On late June, a
friendly fire In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while eng ...
incident happened between
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
and the
Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
under the administration of
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
. The incident led to the death of numerous police officials of Waray ethnic origin. * 2019 House Bill No. 8824 was introduced in the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
on January 22, 2019 by then-Representative
Edgar Mary Sarmiento Edgar Mary Sevilla Sarmiento (born January 12, 1959, Catbalogan, Samar, Philippines) is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the 1st Legislative District of Samar from 2016 to 2022. Early career (2000–2016) Sarmie ...
to establish a new province called "Northwest Samar", consisting of 9 municipalities and 1 city of
Samar's 1st congressional district Samar's 1st congressional district is one of the two congressional districts of the Philippines in the province of Samar. It has been represented in the House of Representatives of the Philippines since 1916 and earlier in the Philippine Assembly ...
, of which
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
would be the designated capital. The bill is yet to be reviewed.


Geography

Samar province covers a total area of occupying the central-western sections of the
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
island in the
Eastern Visayas Eastern Visayas ( war, Sinirangan Kabisay-an; ceb, Sidlakang Kabisay-an; tl, Silangang Kabisayaan or ''Silangang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main islands, Samar, ...
region. The province is bordered on the north by
Northern Samar Northern Samar ( war, Amihanan Samar/Norte san Samar; tl, Hilagang Samar), officially the Province of Northern Samar, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Regions of the Philippines, regio ...
, east by
Eastern Samar Eastern Samar (Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; tl, Silangang Samar), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan. Eastern Samar occupies ...
, south by
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 be ...
and the
Leyte Gulf Leyte Gulf is a gulf in the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. The bay is part of the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, and is bounded by two islands; Samar in the north and Leyte in the west. On the south of the bay is Mindanao Isl ...
, and west by the
Samar Sea The Samar Sea is a small sea within the Philippine archipelago, situated between the Bicol Region of Luzon and the Eastern Visayas. It is bordered by the islands of Samar to the east, Leyte to the south, Masbate to the west, and Luzon to the nort ...
.


Topography

Samar province is hilly, with mountain peaks ranging from high and narrow strips of lowlands, which tend to lie in coastal peripheries or in the
alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain is part of the process, being the sma ...
s and
delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also re ...
s accompanying large rivers. The largest lowlands are located along the northern coast extending up to the valleys of
Catubig Catubig, officially the Municipality of Catubig ( war, Bungto han Catubig; tl, Bayan ng Catubig), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 32,174 people. Hi ...
and Catarman rivers. Smaller lowlands in Samar are to be found in the
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
area and on the deltas and small valleys of Gandara and Ulot rivers. Slopes are generally steep and barren of trees due to
deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...
. Run-off waters after heavy rains can provoke flooding in low-lying areas and the erosion of the mountains enlarges the coastal plains of the province.


Climate and rainfall

Areas near the eastern coast of the province have no dry season (with a pronounced maximum rain period usually occurring from December to January), and are thus open to the northeast
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
. Municipalities in the southeastern section of the province experience this type of climate. Areas located in the northwestern portion of the province have a more or less evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year.


Administrative divisions

The province of Samar comprises two
congressional districts Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts and legislative districts, electorates, or wards in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional bod ...
, 24
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and two component cities. It has a total of 952 barangays.


Demographics

The population of Samar (province) in the 2020 census was 793,183 people, with a density of .


Religion

Samar (Western Samar) is predominantly
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. The ''Catholic Hierarchy'' (2014) states that 95 percent of its population adhere to Roman Catholicism. Some other
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
believers constitute most of the remainder such as
Rizalista Rizalista is a collective term which refers to a cult whose members associate themselves with José Rizal, an important figure of the Philippine Revolution. About 200 Rizalista groups exist in the Philippines, many of which are based in Rizal's h ...
,
Iglesia Filipina Independiente , native_name_lang = fil , icon = Logo of the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan Church).svg , icon_width = 80px , icon_alt = Coat of arms of the Philippine Independent Church , image ...
,
Born-again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...
s, Iglesia ni Cristo,
Baptists Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...
, Methodists,
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
,
Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...
and
Members Church of God International Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...
(MCGI).
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
s are also present and a few mosques are located within the province.


Languages and dialects

Residents of Samar are mostly
Waray Waray may refer to: * Waray people of the Philippines * Waray language, the fifth most spoken native language of the Philippines, spoken by the Waray people * Waray literature * Warray language Warray (Waray) was an Australian language spoken ...
, the fifth largest cultural-linguistic group in the country. 90.2 percent of the household population speaks the
Waray-Waray language Waray (also known as Waray-Waray or Bisaya/Binisaya nga Winaray/Waray) is an Austronesian language and the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people ...
, while 9.8 percent also speak Cebuano; 8.1 percent Boholano; 0.07 percent Tagalog; and 0.5 percent other languages. There are two types of Waray spoken in the province, ''Waray Lineyte-Samarnon'' which is spoken from the southernmost tip of the province up to the municipality of Gandara and ''Waray Calbayog'', an intermediary between the Waray of Northern Samar and the Waray of Samar, spoken in
Calbayog City Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
, Santa Margarita, and in some parts of Tagapul-an, Santo Niño,
Almagro Almagro () may refer to: People *Diego de Almagro (1475–1538), Spanish explorer *Diego Almagro II (1520–1542), assassin of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro *Luis Almagro (born 1963), Uruguayan lawyer, diplomat and politician *Nicolás ...
and Matuguinao.


Economy


Former governors


Notable personalities

19th & 20th Centuries * Senate President
José Avelino José Dira Avelino Sr. (born José Avelino y Dira; August 5, 1890 – July 21, 1986) was the first President of the Senate of the Third Republic of the Philippines and the second President of the Liberal Party. He was Senate President ''pro tem ...
— the first President of the Senate of the Third
Republic of the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
and the second President of the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
came from Calbayog, Samar. He was Senate President pro tempore to President
Manuel Quezon Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina, (; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier and politician who served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 until his dea ...
prior to the establishment of the Commonwealth. He was the grandfather of Filipino actor
Paulo Avelino Michael Paulo Lingbanan Avelino (born May 13, 1988) is a Filipino actor, singer, model and a movie producer. Regarded as the "Prince of Philippine Teleserye", he is best known in television series such as '' Walang Hanggan'' (2012), ''Bridges of ...
. *Lieutenant
Benedicto Nijaga Benedicto is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Benedicto Caldarella (born 1939), Argentine motorcycle road racer * Benedicto Godoy Véizaga, Bolivian footballer who played in the 1950 World Cup * Benedicto K ...
— nicknamed Biktoy, one of the "
Thirteen Martyrs of Bagumbayan The Thirteen Martyrs of Bagumbayan ( es, Trece mártires de Bagumbayan) were Filipino patriots in the Philippines who were executed by musketry on January 11, 1897, for cooperating with the Katipunan during the Philippine Revolution against Spai ...
", executed on January 11, 1897, in Bagumbayan (
Luneta Park Rizal Park ( fil, Liwasang Rizal, es, link=no, Parque Rizal), also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, is a historic urban park located in Ermita, Manila. It is considered one of the largest urban parks in the Philippines, covering an area ...
). During a raid of a printing press in Binondo, the Spaniards found and confiscated subversive documents including a list of members of the Katipunan. Benedicto Nijaga was on the list as a collector of revolutionary funds. Upon the order of Gov. Polavieja to arbitrarily arrest all suspected members of the Katipunan, Nijaga was arrested while he was campaigning for revolutionary funds. *Cardinal
Julio Rosales Julio Cardinal Rosales y Ras (September 18, 1906 – June 2, 1983), the second Archbishop of Cebu, was a Filipino cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. A native of Calbayog, he made his studies at the Seminary of Calbayog and was ordained in his ...
— (September 18, 1906 – June 2, 1983) the second Archbishop of Cebu, was a
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. A native of
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
, he made his studies at the Seminary of Calbayog and was ordained in his hometown on June 2, 1929. From 1929 to 1946, he did pastoral work in the diocese of Calbayog. He was consecrated bishop of
Tagbilaran Tagbilaran, officially the City of Tagbilaran ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Tagbilaran), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,976 people. Encompassing a la ...
on September 21, 1946. * Lucio Godina (March 8, 1908 – November 24, 1936) & Simplicio Godina (March 8, 1908 - December 8, 1936) — were
pygopagus Conjoined twins – sometimes popularly referred to as Siamese twins – are twins joined ''in utero''. A very rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 49,000 births to 1 in 189,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence ...
conjoined twins Conjoined twins – sometimes popularly referred to as Siamese twins – are twins joined ''in utero''. A very rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 49,000 births to 1 in 189,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence ...
from the island of
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. Born in 1908, these boys from the Philippines later made the trip to the United States, where they became sideshow attractions in such hubs of ‘entertainment’ as Coney Island. In 1928, after various legal difficulties – including narrowly avoiding jail when a man was injured in an alleged drunk driving incident – they married identical (but not conjoined) twin sisters, Natividad and Victorina Matos, in Manila. At the age of 21 they married Natividad and Victorina Matos, who were
identical twins Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...
. They performed in various
sideshow In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair, or other such attraction. Types There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions: *The Ten-in-One offers a program of ten seq ...
acts, including in an orchestra on
Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Manhattan Beach to its east, L ...
and in dance with their wives. After Lucio died of
rheumatic fever Rheumatic fever (RF) is an inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The disease typically develops two to four weeks after a streptococcal throat infection. Signs and symptoms include fever, multiple painful jo ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, doctors operated to separate him from Simplicio. Simplicio survived the operation, but died shortly thereafter due to
spinal meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or a ...
. 21st Century * Nemesio Baldesco— a pedicab driver from
Calbayog City Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
who earned respect in the field of literary works in Waray. He is a recipient of Gawad Parangal of UMPIL (
Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas Writers' Union of the Philippines ( fil, Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, abbreviated as UMPIL) is the largest organization of Filipino writers in the Philippines. Established in 1974, the organization was first known by the English version of ...
). He is known as the ''“Father of Waray Poetry”'' ''(Amay han Siday)''. *Dr.
Carmelita Abdurahman Carmelita Yboa Carnacite-Abdurahman is a Filipino academic in the field of linguistics. Biography Abdurahman earned two doctorate degrees namely PhD and EdD in Filipino. She was appointed by the President of the Philippines as commissioner of ...
— she served as commissioner for
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided 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 be ...
language at
Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino , logo = , logo_width = , logo_caption = , seal = Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF).svg , seal_width = , seal_caption = , formed = 1937 (first formation)1991 (reformed) , preceding1 ...
(KWF). *Archbishop Pedro Rosales Dean, Jr.,
D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...
, Ph.L., S.T.L. — (born 21 February 1930) is the Archbishop emeritus of Palo from
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
since the appointment of Archbishop
Jose S. Palma Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...
as his successor. He served the Archdiocese of Palo from 12 October 1985 until 18 March 2006. *
Chito S. Roño Chito Sarmiento Roño (; born April 26, 1954), also known as Sixto Kayko and Chito S. Roño, is a Filipino writer, producer, and director. He is known for his expansive vision and special-effects-heavy films. He came to prominence in the Phil ...
—(born April 26, 1954), also known as Sixto Kayko, is a
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
writer, film producer and film director from
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
known for his expansive vision and special-effects-heavy films, most notably '' Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure'' (2001) for which he won the
Metro Manila Film Festival The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in Metro Manila, Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Year's Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on ...
for best director. He is also known for his 1997 film ''Nasaan ang Puso'' which earned him his first MMFF for best director. There is an annual literary and visual arts competition held in Samar in honor of him. *
Tessie Tomas Tessie Tomas (born October 31, 1950) is a Filipina actress, host, standup comedian, and a former advertising executive. She is best known for being part of the RPN sketch comedy show '' Champoy'' and the host of the ABS-CBN talk show ''Teysi ng ...
— (born October 31, 1950), a Filipino actress and TV host from
Catbalogan Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
, best known for being the host of the ABS-CBN talk show ''
Teysi ng Tahanan {{Infobox television , image = , caption = , genre = Talk show Docudrama , runtime = 30 minutes (January 14-July 12, 1991) 60 minutes (July 15, 1991-February 21, 1997) , creator ...
''. In an interview with
GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...
's ''
Tunay Na Buhay ''Tunay na Buhay'' () is a Philippine television documentary show broadcast by GMA Network, GMA News TV and GTV. Originally hosted by Rhea Santos, it premiered on January 21, 2011 replacing '' OFW Diaries'' on the network's evening line up. Th ...
'', Tomas recalled working for an ad agency prior to her career as a presenter and actress. Tessie later appeared in both comedic and dramatic roles, notably in the 2012 remake of the film ''
Mundo Man ay Magunaw ''Mundo Man ay Magunaw'' (International title: ''Even If the World Ends'') is a 2012 Philippine drama television series based on the 1990 film of the same name starring Susan Roces, Nida Blanca, Toby Alejar, Alicia Vergel, Dante Rivero, Michael L ...
'' and 2015's ''
Buena Familia ''Buena Familia'' () is a Philippine television drama series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Gil Tejada Jr., it stars Kylie Padilla and Julie Anne San Jose. It premiered on July 28, 2015 on the network's Afternoon Prime line up replacing ' ...
''. In 2018, Tomas played a supporting role in the ABS-CBN soap opera '' The Blood Sisters''. *
Michael Cinco Michael Cinco (; born August 8, 1971) is a Filipino fashion designer based in Dubai. He launched his eponymous fashion line in 2003. Early life and education Cinco was born on August 27, 1971 in the island of Samar in central Philippines. His pr ...
— a
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
fashion designer Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...
from
Catbalogan, Samar Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
. He launched his
eponymous An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...
fashion line in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
in 2003. * Rosalio "Yoyong" Martires — (born September 9, 1951), a former
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
basketball player, actor and comedian from
Catbalogan Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
. He played for San Miguel in the
Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association The Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) was a sports association which existed in Manila, Philippines from 1938 to 1981. Throughout its existence, it staged various sports and was participated by prominent Philippine co ...
and the
Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...
between 1972 and 1982. In 1972, he appeared at the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
in Munich, Germany as a member of the country's national basketball team. He was a fleet footed guard specializing in steals/interceptions and assists. *Bishop
Maximiano Tuazon Cruz Maximiano Tuazon Cruz (April 4, 1923 – October 9, 2013) was a Filipino Prelate of the Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Cath ...
— born in
Catbalogan City Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
, Philippines and was ordained a priest on November 30, 1947. He was appointed titular bishop to Tanudaia as well as auxiliary bishop to the
Diocese of Calbayog The Roman Catholic Diocese of Calbayog is an ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church named after its episcopal see, Calbayog, a city on the western side of the province of Samar in the Philippines. History Samar and Leyte, two civil pro ...
on November 10, 1987, and ordained bishop on December 1, 1987. He was appointed bishop to the
Diocese of Calbayog The Roman Catholic Diocese of Calbayog is an ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church named after its episcopal see, Calbayog, a city on the western side of the province of Samar in the Philippines. History Samar and Leyte, two civil pro ...
on December 21, 1994, and retired from diocese on January 13, 1999. He died on October 9, 2013, at age 90. * Rosita “Rose” Bradborn — (born on 1973) is an Philippines international lawn bowler from
Daram, Samar Daram, officially the Municipality of Daram ( war, Bungto han Daram; tl, Bayan ng Daram), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 41,608 people. Etymology The origi ...
. She competed at the
2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship The 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship was held at the Burnside Bowling Club in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 12 to 24 January 2008. Safuan Said won the men's singles Gold. New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island coun ...
and 2012 World Outdoor Bowls Championship but came to prominence when winning a bronze medal at the
2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship The 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship was held at the Burnside Bowling Club in Avonhead, Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Ch ...
in
Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
in the fourswith Hazel Jagonoy,
Ronalyn Greenlees Vilma 'Ronalyn' Greenlees (born 1971) is an Philippines international lawn bowler. Biography She reached the final eight in the pairs at the 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship but came to prominence when winning the triples gold medal at t ...
and
Sonia Bruce Asuncion 'Sonia' Bruce (born 1966) is an Philippines international lawn bowler. Bowls career Bruce competed in the 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship and 2012 World Outdoor Bowls Championship but came to prominence when winning a bronze me ...
. In 2018, he bagged three medals again in international tourneys. *
Sergio Apostol Sergio Apostol (born January 17, 1935) is a Filipino politician who served as a Philippine representative in the Leyte's 2nd district from 1992 to 2001 and again from 2010 to 2016. Biography Apostol, a Roman Catholic, graduated from the Ateneo ...
— (born January 17, 1935) is a Filipino politician born in
Catbalogan City Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
. In 2008, Sergio Apostol was Chief Presidential Legal Counsel for Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...
. On October 8, 2008,
Eduardo Ermita Eduardo R. Ermita (born July 13, 1935) is a former Executive Secretary (Philippines), Executive Secretary of the Philippines and former spokesperson for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Ermita took his Defense Resource Management Course at the Na ...
confirmed Apostol's resignation, effective October 30, to prepare for his candidacy, for
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 be ...
congressional seat, in the
2010 Philippine general election Elections for all positions in the Philippines above the barangay (except for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao regional level) were held on May 10, 2010. The elected president is Benigno Aquino III, the 15th President of the Philippines, s ...
. Apostol is a member of the board of Union Bank and the legal consultant of the SSS’ Social Security Commission (SSC). After winning his district's seat as a Lakas-CMD party candidate of Arroyo, Apostol switched allegiance to the Liberal party of Benigno Aquino, the winner of the 2010 Presidential election. *Justice
Antonio Eduardo Nachura Antonio Eduardo Bermejo Nachura (June 13, 1941 – March 13, 2022) was a Filipino jurist who was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He took his oath of office as Associate Justice on February 7, 2007, and occupied the ...
— former
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines ( fil, Kasangguning Mahistrado ng Kataas-taasang Hukuman ng Pilipinas) is one of fifteen members of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the highest court in the Philippines. The C ...
from
Catbalogan, Samar Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
. He took his oath of office as Associate Justice on February 7, 2007, and occupied the position until his mandatory retirement on June 13, 2011. Previously, Nachura had been
Solicitor-General of the Philippines The Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippines ( fil, Tanggapan ng Taga-usig Panlahat), formerly known as the Bureau of Justice, is an independent and autonomous office attached to the Department of Justice. The OSG is headed by Menardo G ...
at the time his appointment to the Court was announced on January 31, 2007, by then-Philippine
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...
. * Romero Federico Saenz Quimbo — (born December 12, 1969), also known as ''Miro Quimbo'', is a Filipino politician who currently represents
Marikina Marikina (), officially the City of Marikina ( fil, Lungsod ng Marikina), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 456,159 people. It is loca ...
's 2nd Legislative District in the
House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( fil, Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas, italic=unset, ''Kamara'' or ''Kamara de Representantes'' from the Spanish language, Spanish word ''cámara'', meaning "chamber") is the lower house ...
. He succeeded then-Rep.
Del R. De Guzman Del Reyes de Guzman (born January 9, 1963) is a Filipino politician who served as the 11th Mayor of Marikina from 2010 to 2016. He had previously served as Representative for the city's lone district from 2001 up to its division in 2007, wherein h ...
who won as
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
. Quimbo spent the first two years of elementary school at the Sacred Heart College ''(''now ''Saint Mary’s College of Catbalogan)'' in Catbalogan City, Samar. He moved to the Marist School in Marikina where he eventually finished his elementary and secondary education. *
Tom Rodriguez Bartolome Alberto Mott (born October 1, 1987), known professionally as Tom Rodriguez, is a Filipino-American model, actor, host and singer. Biography Rodriguez is from Catbalogan, Samar. He was born in Subic Naval Base in Zambales to an Ameri ...
— a TV host, singer and actor from
Catbalogan City Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,44 ...
,
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
. He was born in Subic Naval Base in Zambales to an American serviceman father and a Filipina mother. One of six siblings, he moved with his two brothers and three sisters with their mother to
Pinabacdao, Samar Pinabacdao, officially the Municipality of Pinabacdao ( war, Bungto han Pinabacdao; tl, Bayan ng Pinabacdao), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 18,136 people. ...
(where their mother hails from). But they grew up in nearby Catbalogan City, also in Samar, where Rodriguez studied at Saint Mary's College of Catbalogan ''(formerly Sacred Heart College)'' from kindergarten to elementary. He popularized the OPM song ''“Ikaw Ang Sagot”''. *
Mel Senen Sarmiento Mel Senen Sevilla Sarmiento (born August 11, 1962) is a Filipino politician. He was a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the 1st Legislative District of Samar from 2010 to 2015. He also served as Secretary-General o ...
— a
Calbayog Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
non politician who was a former member of the
Philippine House of Representatives The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( fil, Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas, italic=unset, ''Kamara'' or ''Kamara de Representantes'' from the Spanish language, Spanish word ''cámara'', meaning "chamber") is the lower house ...
representing the 1st Legislative District of
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
from 2010 to 2016. He also served as Secretary General of the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
. He served as the Vice Mayor of
Calbayog City Calbayog, officially the City of Calbayog ( war, Siyudad han Calbayog; fil, Lungsod ng Calbayog), is a 1st class component city in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 186,960 people. It lies ...
from 1992 to 1995 and Mayor from 2001 to 2010. He was also the Secretary General of the
League of Cities of the Philippines The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), also known simply as the League of Cities, is a formal organization of all cities in the Philippines. As of September 3, 2022, there are 147 cities which are part of the organization. Statutory Basis ...
from 2004 to 2010. He also served as the final
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government The secretary of the interior and local government (Filipino: ''Kalihim ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal'') is the member of the Cabinet in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The current secretary is Benjamin Abalos J ...
under President
Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
after
Jesse Robredo Jesse Manalastas Robredo (born Jesus Manalastas Robredo; ; May 27, 1958 – August 18, 2012) was a Filipino politician who served as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III from 201 ...
and
Mar Roxas Manuel "Mar" Araneta Roxas II (; born May 13, 1957) is a Filipino politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines. He is the grandson and namesake of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. He served in the Cabinet of the Philippines as ...
.


Proposed creation of Samar Administrative Region (SamAR)

There is a proposed creation of Samar Administrative Region or SamAR, in which
Eastern Visayas Eastern Visayas ( war, Sinirangan Kabisay-an; ceb, Sidlakang Kabisay-an; tl, Silangang Kabisayaan or ''Silangang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main islands, Samar, ...
will be partitioned into two separate regions. Since the creation of
Negros Island Region The Negros Island Region ( hil, Rehiyon sang Pulo sang Negros; ceb, Rehiyon sa Pulo sa Negros), also abbreviated and officially designated as NIR (unofficially ''Region XVIII''), was a short-lived administrative region in the Philippines which ...
out of the regions of
Western Visayas Western Visayas ( hil, Kabisay-an Nakatundan; tl, Kanlurang Kabisayaan or ''Kanlurang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimara ...
and
Central Visayas Central Visayas ( ceb, Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an; tl, Gitnang Kabisayaan) is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VII. It consists of four provinces: (Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor) and thr ...
, non-government organizations, local government units and people from the three Samar Island provinces are now expressing their support and willingness to put the provinces of Samar,
Northern Samar Northern Samar ( war, Amihanan Samar/Norte san Samar; tl, Hilagang Samar), officially the Province of Northern Samar, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Regions of the Philippines, regio ...
and
Eastern Samar Eastern Samar (Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; tl, Silangang Samar), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan. Eastern Samar occupies ...
into one separate administrative region in order to boost its economy, improve and directly provide to its people the government's basic and other public services and lower its poverty rate incidence, since Samar island's three provinces are listed as one of the poorest provinces of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
.


References


External links

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Samar News.com
based in Catbalogan, it is a source of news and information on Eastern Visayas.
Province of Samar
Profile of the Samar province
Local Governance Performance Management System
{{Authority control Provinces of the Philippines States and territories established in 1965 1965 establishments in the Philippines