Every first date of the month of July, the entire Southern Leyteรฑos always honor the Founding Anniversary of the Province of Southern Leyteโnot only known for its commemorative date, but as a tribute to the initiative self-sufficiency approach by the provincial pioneer and present leaders who have been serving for a better development, public safety, and independence of all the residents within the Southern Leyte for 65 years.
Commonly associated with Leyte, the mother province, Southern Leyteโs history traces back to the records on March 16, 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan had his prior spectacle on the island of Homonhon. After twelve days, on March 28, 1521, Magellan and his followers landed on the island of Limasawa, where the First Easter Mass in the Philippines was held on March 31, 1521. Maasin City, city of faith and home of the brave, served as a capital during the Spanish era with courts and treasurers handling matters from Palompon to Hinunangan, including Panaon Island and its towns, respectively.
At the present time, the Province of Southern Leyte is popularized for its innate beauty, rich heritage, and resilient community residents. Despite facing major natural calamitiesโlike the devastating Guinsaugon landslide in 2006 in Brgy. Guinsaugon, Saint Bernard which resulted in the loss of various livesโthe province has shown its progress through education, improvements in infrastructure, governance, and tourism. Maasin City, on the other hand, is now responsibly serving as the center of trade and religious life in the province.
Source: Province of Southern Leyte