Biliran Province, Philippines

By James Barcelona

Tourist Attractions

Busai Falls

Biliran  is an island province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region (Region VIII). Biliran is one of the country's smallest and newest provinces. Formerly a sub-province of Leyte, it became an independent province in 1992. Biliran lies less than a kilometer north of the island of Leyte. A bridge-causeway fixed link over Poro Island connects the province to Leyte. Its capital is the Municipality of Naval on the western coast of the island.

Etymology

Iyusan Rice Terraces, Biliran Island

During the early Spanish era, what is now called Biliran Island was known as Isla de Panamao. The present name, believed to be adopted sometime between the late 17th century and the early 18th century, was, according to many publications, derived from a native grass called borobiliran which once grew abundantly on the island's plains. A contending theory states that the name came from the word bilir, which was defined in an old Visayan dictionary to be the “corner or edge of a boat, vase or anything protruding, like veins, or the furrow made by the plow.” The dictionary also gives biliran as an alternate spelling for bilir. This theory is supported by the fact that Biliran was site of the first large-scale shipyard, built in the 17th century. Galleons were built to support the Galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco in Mexico.

Maripipi Island

Geography

Biliran has a total land area of 53,601 hectares (132,450 acres), making it the fourth smallest province in the Philippines. The island lies off the northern coast of Leyte island across Biliran Strait. To the southeast is Carigara Bay, to the northeast is the Samar Sea, and across this sea is Samar. To the west is the Visayan Sea and Masbate lies 30 kilometres (19 mi) to the northwest.

Sambawan Islands, Maripipi, Biliran

Islands

The province is composed of two major volcanic islands; Biliran Island and Maripipi Island. Other islands include Higatangan, and Dalutan Island (inhabited).

Topography

Maripipi Island is a 924-metre (3,031 ft) volcanic island with the Maripipi Volcano located in the center and the Municipality of Maripipi surrounding its shores and lower slopes. The volcano is classified as potentially active but has had no historical eruptions.

Provincehood

On April 8, 1959, Republic Act No. 2141 was signed into law effectively making Biliran a sub-province of Leyte. The island became an independent province on May 11, 1992, by virtue of Republic Act No. 7160, making it one of the newest provinces in the country.

Demographics

Based on the May 2000 census, Biliran had a total population of 140,274, which made it the fifth least populous province in the country, and the smallest in the region. There were 27,907 households in the province with an average size of 5.02 persons, slightly higher than the national average of 4.99. In the 2010 census, the population had increased to 161,760 persons.

Languages

The inhabitants of Biliran primarily speak Cebuano and Waray, both Visayan languages. The majority of the residents also speak and understand Tagalog and English.