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1. Eastern Visayas (Waray: Sinirangan Kabisay-an; Cebuano: Sidlakang Kabisay-
an; Tagalog: Silangang Kabisayaan or Silangang Visayas) is an administrative region in
the Philippines, designated as Region VIII. It consists of three main
islands, Samar, Leyte and Biliran. The region has six provinces, one independent city and one highly
urbanized city [3]
namely, Biliran, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern
Leyte, Ormoc and Tacloban. The highly urbanized city of Tacloban is the sole regional center. These
provinces and cities occupy the easternmost islands of the Visayas group of islands.
Eastern Visayas faces the Philippine Sea to the east. The region is known for its famous landmark,
the San Juanico Bridge, dubbed as the "Most Beautifully Designed and Longest Bridge in the
Philippines". As of 2015, the Eastern Visayas region has a population of 4,440,150
inhabitants,[2]
making it the third most populous region in the Visayas.
Etymology[edit]
The current name of the region was derived from its location in the greater Visayas area. The name
was coined by American colonialists after the take-over of the islands when the First Philippine
Republic was officially defeated by the Americans. There have been proposals to rename the current
Eastern Visayas region, which is dominated by the Waray ethnic group in the east and the Sebwano
ethnic group in the west, into Mairete-Iberein region. The term literally translates to 'Land of Ete and
Iberein'. According to documents recorded by the Spaniards, Ete is the first documented pre-colonial
ruler of a kingdom of Leyte, while Iberein is the first documented pre-colonial ruler of a kingdom in
Samar. Ete, whose kingdom was centered in present-day Tacloban, most likely had Waray and
Sebwano bloodlines, while Iberein, whose kingdom was centered somewhere in Northern Samar,
most likely had Waray - Hebrew bloodlines.[4][5]
Geography[edit]
A view of Tacloban as seen on December 2015
Eastern Visayas lies on the east central section of the Philippine archipelago. It consists of three
main islands, Leyte, Biliran and Samar, which form the easternmost coasts of the archipelago. It is
bounded on the east and north by the Philippine Sea with the San Bernardino Strait separating
Samar from southeastern Luzon; on the west by the Camotes and Visayan seas, and on the south
by the Bohol Sea with the Surigao Strait separating Leyte from northwestern Mindanao. It has a total
land area of 2,156,285 hectares (5,328,300 acres) or 7.2% of the country’s total land area.[6]
52% of
its total land area are classified as forestland and 48% as alienable and disposable land.
Climate[edit]

2. Deforestation from Typhoon Haiyan in the Visayas
There are two types of climate prevailing in the region under the Corona system of classification:
Type II and Type IV. Type II climate is characterized by having no dry season but a pronounced
maximum rainfall from November to January. Samar Island and the eastern part of Leyte Island fall
under this type of climate. Type IV on the other hand has an even distribution of rainfall the year
round and a short period of dry season that can be observed starting February up to May. This type
of climate is well exhibited at the western half of Leyte island and some portion of Samar which
covers the municipality of Motiong up to San Isidro of Northern Samar.
In November 2013, the region was struck with the highest death toll in the nation by Super Typhoon
Haiyan, the second deadliest typhoon ever to violently hit the Philippines. Typhoons frequently hit
the region along with the Bicol region as the most typhoon prone parts of the Philippines.
Natural resources[edit]
The region's sea and inland waters are rich sources of salt and fresh water fish and other marine
products. It is one of the fish exporting regions of the country. There are substantial forest reserves
in the interiors of the islands. Its mineral deposits include chromite, uranium (in
Samar), gold, silver, manganese, magnesium, bronze, nickel, clay, coal, limestone, pyrite and sand
and gravel. It has abundant geothermal energy and water resources to support the needs of medium
and heavy industries.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Languages[edit]
The native languages of Eastern Visayas are:
 Abaknon, spoken in Capul Island in Northern Samar.
 Baybayanon, spoken in Baybay City in Leyte.
 Boholano, spoken in Southern Leyte.
 Cebuano, spoken in Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern
Samar.
 Kinabalian, spoken in the municipality of San Juan, Southern Leyte.
 Waray-Waray, spoken in Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern
Samar. It is the regional lingua franca.
 Administrative divisions[edit]

3. 
 Political Map of Eastern Visayas Region
 Eastern Visayas consists of 6 provinces, 1 highly urbanized city, 1 independent
component city, 5 component cities, 136 municipalities and 4,390 barangays.
Economy[edit]
Float exhibiting products of Eastern Visayas
Eastern Visayas is primarily an agricultural region with rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane and banana as
its major crops.
Primary sources of revenue are manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade and services. Mining,
farming, fishing and tourism contribute significantly to the economy. Manufacturing firms include
mining companies, fertilizer plants, sugar central, rice and corn mills and other food processing
plants. Tacloban is the hub of investment, trade and development in the region.
Other industries include coconut oil extraction, alcohol distilling, beverage manufacture and forest
products. Home industries include hat and basket weaving, metal craft, needlecraft, pottery,
ceramics, woodcraft, shell craft and bamboo craft.
Education[edit]

4. Eastern Visayas is home to several state universities, including the prestigious University of the
Philippines Visayas Tacloban College. The region is also home to the University of Eastern
Philippines (UEP), located in Catarman, Northern Samar, which holds the most number of
baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate courses among universities in the region.
The Zonal Agricultural University for the Visayas under the National Agriculture Education System
concept, Visayas State University (VSU) is also in the region, located in Baybay. Also, the region is
home to Palompon Institute of Technology, a maritime school in the Philippines providing deck and
engine cadet. Its main campus is located in the municipality of Palompon, Leyte province.
The Eastern Visayas State University is Leyte's state university with five extension
campuses. Southern Leyte State University with five extension campuses, is the only state university
in the province of Southern Leyte. In Biliran, Naval State University is the province state university.
For Eastern Samar, the Eastern Samar State University is the only state university of the province
with four extension campus while Samar State University is Samar's state university with two
extension campuses. Northwest Samar State University serves Samar Province's first district. For
teacher education, the Leyte Normal University specializes in education courses.
Infrastructure[edit]
Transportation[edit]
The region's Leyte and Samar islands serve as main link between Luzon and Mindanao by land
transport. A total of nine airports, are strategically located in different parts of the six provinces that
define the region. Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban is the main gateway by air to the region.
There are seaports in Tacloban,
Baybay, Catbalogan, Calbayog, Borongan, Allen, Ormoc, Bato, Hilongos, Maasin, Sogod, and Naval
.
Power and energy[edit]
The region is the top producer of geothermal energy supply in the country. The province
of Leyte hosts the biggest geothermal plant in the Philippines. Still, geothermal exploration is
ongoing in the nearby province of Biliran. With abundance of river system, the region has potential in
hydroelectric production. The strait of San Juanico between Leyte and Samar islands has been
declared as potential source for water current and tidal energy sources.
Culture[edit]
Dances[edit]
Tinikling, the Philippines' national dance is folkdance that originated from the region. But the most
popular cultural dance among Warays is the Kuratsa, danced during feast celebrations and special
gatherings. The Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company, a local cultural group, held highly successful
performances around the world.
Music[edit]
Waray people are music lovers whose folkloric music are mostly ballads in form, famous of which
is Dandansoy while Iroy nga Tuna (Motherland) is a patriotic song.