Palo, Leyte

Palo
Municipality
Seal
Map of Leyte showing the location of Palo
Palo Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°09′27″N 124°59′27″E / 11.15750°N 124.99083°E / 11.15750; 124.99083Coordinates: 11°09′27″N 124°59′27″E / 11.15750°N 124.99083°E / 11.15750; 124.99083
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)
Province	Leyte
District	1st District of Leyte
Founded	1768
Barangays	33
Government[1]
• Mayor	Remedios L. Petilla
Area[2]
• Total	221.27 km2 (85.43 sq mi)
• Land	80.19 km2 (30.96 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	62,727
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	6501
Dialing code	53
Income class	3rd class; partially urban

Palo is a third class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 62,727 people.^[3] The municipality is the place where most of the Government Departments and Bureaus of Region VIII is located. Some of the government agencies' regional offices are located in the municipality and some are still seated and located in the neighboring city of Tacloban.

The municipality is home to the offices of the ecclesiastical government of the Archdiocese of Palo; the archbishop's residence; as well as the secondary, tertiary and theology seminaries of the archdiocese are all located in the town.

Barangays

Palo is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.^[2]

History

The discovery of the advancing communities of Palo dates back to the early 16th century A.D. along the banks of Bangon River. However, local historians believe that the settlement of Palo started as early as the 10th to 13th century A.D..

The first known settlement were the kingdom of Takuranga, first name of Palo under King Guban, and the Kingdom of Kaluugan, the second name of Palo under King Pitik. From the 14th to the 16th centuries, some other settlements were formed which also became the succeeding names of Palo, until finally in 1550 Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi coalesced the settlements and named the new confederation "Palo". The other settlements were Kasangitan, Binangalan, Kasuguran, Bunga, Bangon and Guindapunan. The settlers of Bunga played a vital role in the history of Palo, having formed the settlement of Bangon which is now the town center. Palo formally became a town in 1768 with Kapitan Balasabas as its first administration.

Accordingly, the early settlers of Palo were the clans of Panganuron, Kadampog, Manlangit, Kumago, Kawaring, Kabalhin, Kumagong, Maglain, Bilyu and Dilyu.

Palo is considered to be one of the most historical towns of Leyte. It is well known as the site of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's return to the Philippines together with Philippine and American military forces after a period of exile in 1944. Hill 522, a hill located near the town center, was the site of fierce fighting between Allied and Japanese forces during the Second World War. The metropolitan cathedral of the archdiocese, located right across Palo's municipal hall, was used as a hospital for wounded Filipino and American forces. A memorial now stands at the beach site where MacArthur and his troops landed, locally known as the MacArthur's Park. The first Gabaldon Building is also situated in Brgy. San Joaquin Palo, Leyte. It was inaugurated by President Sergio Osmeña.

The town is very active in commerce and in tourism. It attracts a significant number of tourists every year. The town also has its historic Municipal Building which was the former Seat of the Provincial Government of Leyte. Its location is conducive to and ideal for trading and commerce.

Palo is strategically located in the northern part of the Province of Leyte, 8 miles from the capital city of Tacloban. It is composed of 33 barrios (barangays) with a total population of 40,000. The main source of income for most of the citizenry is the buying and selling of farm products and the production and fermentation of the local wine "tuba".

Palo is a town that takes pride not in its material wealth, which rates poorly in terms of economic growth, but in the fame and glory of its being a rare "Town of Firsts"—culturally, historically and spiritually.

The landmark that has brought Palo to the annals of world history is the Red Beach, in barangay Candahug, where Gen. Douglas MacArthur first landed to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese occupation on October 20, 1944. Palo was also once the capital of Leyte. The town's Purissima Bridge was the first steel bridge built in the province.

In 1957, sitio Campitic was converted into a barrio,^[4] while barrio Baras-Candahug was divided into two: Baras and Candahug.^[5] Barrio Malirong was renamed as Libertad.^[6]

On the spiritual side, Palo is believed to be a sacred place by clerical observers. It is the seat of the ecclesiastical province, the Archdiocese, where the Roman Catholic Archbishop resides in Bukid Tabor. One can find the Metropolitan Cathedral in Palo. Also, the seedbed of vocations to the priesthood is found at the Sacred Heart Seminary and the St. John the Evangelist School of Theology. Two Paloan nuns were also Superior Generals in their respective congregations. To date, there are 79 ordained priests and 106 nuns from the town alone.

Palo has established its identity as a conservative and religious town with a highly cultural characteristic that makes Paloans extremely proud of their birthplace. It is now the new seat of government of the province of Leyte.

On November 8, 2013, Palo was severely struck by typhoon Haiyan, which destroyed much of the town and killed residents.^[7]

Demographics

Literacy rate in Palo is 99.5%.

Economy

Palo is the seat of the 6.8-hectare Leyte Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Park and the 22-hectare Leyte Mikyu Economic Zone.^[8] The Leyte ICT Park hosts two BPOs while the Leyte Mikyu Ecozone is undergoing development.

Tourist attractions

MacArthur Landing Memorial

• MacArthur Landing Park
• Guinhangdan Hill (now a forest reserve)
• Japanese Shrine in Brgy. Caloogan
• Red Beach
• WW2 Memorial for the Filipino Soldiers
• Palo Metropolitan Cathedral
• Palo Binangalan coral reefs
• Palo Mangrove Reservation (open season for duck hunting whole year round)
• Palo Municipal Library and Heritage Museum

Educational institutions

Private

• Saint Paul School of Business and Law
• Sacred Heart Seminary
• St. John The Evangelist School of Theology
• Palo Angelicum
• Palo Central School (SPED)
• St. Mary's Academy Of Palo
• St Agustine College of Practical Nursing
• Bethel International School
• Zion Bible College
• AMA Computer College

Public

• UP Manila School of Health Sciences
• Philippine Science High School
• Palo National High School
• Palo Central School (Regular)
• San Joaquin Central School
• San Joaquin National High School
• Anahaway National High School
• Luntad Elementary School

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palo, Leyte.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System
• Online Lineyte-Samarnon (Waray-Waray)-English Dictionary
• Leyte Tips | Leyte Jobs | Leyte News | Tour Leyte

	Santa Fe	Tacloban
	Pastrana		San Pedro Bay
	Palo
		Tanauan

v t e Province of Leyte Municipalities Abuyog Alangalang Albuera Babatngon Barugo Bato Burauen Calubian Capoocan Carigara Dagami Dulag Hilongos Hindang Inopacan Isabel Jaro Javier Julita Kananga La Paz Leyte MacArthur Mahaplag Matag-ob Matalom Mayorga Merida Palo Palompon Pastrana San Isidro San Miguel Santa Fe Tabango Tabontabon Tanauan Tolosa Tunga Villaba Component city Baybay Independent component city Ormoc Highly urbanized city Tacloban (Administratively independent from the province, but grouped under Leyte by the National Statistics Office)