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Island Idyll
The Philippine archipelago dotted with numerous tiny islands, some islands
of which remain largely undiscovered by travelers due to distance or lack of
information. Several of this beautiful but little known islands can be
found in the Visayas. Biliran Island, a newly-created province, lies
between Northern Leyte and Western Samar.
Comprising 8 (eight) towns namely: Kawayan, Almeria, Naval, Biliran, Culaba,
Caibiran, Cabucgayan and Maripipi with Naval as the capital town.
Biliran thrives mainly on the fishing and seaport industry. Most of
its town like Naval and Biliran are considered as excellent ports and are
often the gateway to further destinations within the Visayas and even the
Mindanao region.
The Biliranons like other Visayans are warm, friendly and hospitable.
They speak a mixture of the Cebuano and Waray-waray dialects and are very
accommodating to tourists, be they foreign or domestic. |
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BRIEF HISTORY
In the early Spanish time, the island was known as Isla de Panamao.
Panamao referred to an ethnic fishing net. Panamao Island was the site
of the first large-scale Spanish shipyard in the Philippines. But
somehow between 1668-1712, the name Isla de Panamao was changed to Biliran,
a name derived form a native grass called "borobiliran" which grew
abundantly on the plains.
On April 8, 1959, Republic Act No. 2141 made Biliran a sub-province of Leyte.
Then it became a province in May 1992.
PANORAMA
For the adventurous traveler, Biliran offers a glimpse of the simple
country living that is slowly being abandoned elsewhere. Color
abounds: the luminous green of the young shoots carpeting the floor of the
paddies, the rich ochre brown of the mud walls and the charcoal black of the
basalt riocks.
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Click here to
view the various tourist attractions of this province!
F A S T F A C T S
CAPITAL
Naval
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LOCATION
N - Samar Sea
E - Western Samar
W - Visayan Sea
S - Carigara Bay
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LAND AREA
555.42 sq. kms.
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NO. OF TOWNS
8 (eight)
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POPULATION
132,209
(as of 1995 census)
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CLIMATE
Biliran island does not
experience a prolonged dry season. It has a very pronounced rainfall
during December which subsides in January and minimum rainfall in April.
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TOPOGRAPHY
Biliran's topography
ranges from slightly flat to gently rolling terrain. It has coastal
lowlands with mountainous interior except for the municipalities of Naval
and Caibiran. Mountain ranges occupy the major portion of the island
municipality of Maripipi.
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DIALECTS
Cebuano
Waray-waray
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TOURIST ASSISTANCE OFFICE
Provincial Tourism Office
Province of Biliran
Provincial Capitol
Naval, Biliran
Tel. No.: 0912-891-8931
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