Maasin City

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Maasin City
Location of Maasin City in the Southern Leyte Province
map
Basic data
Region : Eastern Visayas
Province : Southern Leyte
Barangays : 70
District: 1. District of Southern Leyte
PSGC : 086400000
Income class : 5th income bracket
Households : 14,597
May 1, 2000 census
Population : 421,750
August 1, 2015 census
Population density : 1992 inhabitants per km²
Area : 211.7  km²
Coordinates : 10 ° 8 ′  N , 124 ° 51 ′  E Coordinates: 10 ° 8 ′  N , 124 ° 51 ′  E
Postal code : 6600
Area code : +63 053
Mayor : Maloney Samaco
Geographical location in the Philippines
Maasin City (Philippines)
Maasin City
Maasin City

Maasin City is a city in the Philippine province of Southern Leyte and is located on the southeastern extension of the island of Leyte . Maasin City is the capital and the largest city of this province with 421,750 inhabitants (census of August 1, 2015).

In 2000 Maasin was raised to city status.

Origin of name

The place was originally known as Tagnipa . The naming goes back to the following legend:

Some Spaniards reached the Canturin River in search of drinking water. They asked the locals in Spanish: "Que pueblo es este?" (Which place is in the east), pointing with a gesture along the river. The locals, who didn't understand a word, thought they were asked about the taste of the water and replied Maasin ( salty ) Since that time the place and the area has been known by this name.

geography

Green hills around Maasin City

Maasin City is located on the far western tip of the Southern Leyte Province . In the northeast, the urban area borders on the municipality of Tomas Oppus , in the east and southeast on Malitbog , in the south on Macrohon and in the north on the municipality of Matalom from the province of Leyte . To the west extends the Canigao Canal , which separates Leyte from the neighboring island of Bohol .

Southern Leyte is characterized by relatively flat stretches of land along the coastal areas, where the majority of the inhabitants have settled. The inland, on the other hand, is rough and mountainous. The Canturin River, which runs through Maasin City, is one of the countless rivers that flow through the area.

The city has a small provincial airport, the only one in the province located in the Baranggay Panan-awan. The runway of this airfield is 1,200 m long and 30 m wide and is therefore only set up for regional air traffic.

Of the twelve seaports of Southern Leyte, two are designated as national ports. Besides the port of Liloan , this is the port of Maasin City. From here you can travel by ship to Cebu and back in six hours .

Language and religion

The Maasinhons and Southern Leyteños resident in the city mainly speak Cebuano or the almost identical dialect Boholano. In addition to Filipino , English is also taught in the school from the start, so that large parts of the population speak simple to very good English. In their culture and language form, they differ from the population of the island of Cebu and Bohol, but also from their neighbors, who are at home on the west coast of the province of Leyte. Most of the residents are farmers and fishermen who are known for their hard work and frugality.

About 90% of the city's residents are Roman Catholics , although traditionally pagan folk beliefs still enjoy influence within the population.

Barangays

Maasin City is politically divided into 70 barangays (districts).

  • Abgao (Pob.)
  • Asuncion
  • Bactul II
  • Bactul I
  • Badiang
  • Bagtican
  • Basak
  • Bato II
  • Bato I
  • Batuan
  • Baugo
  • Bilibol
  • Bogo
  • Cabadiangan
  • Cabulihan
  • Cagnituan
  • Cambooc
  • Cansirong
  • Canturing
  • Canyuom
  • Combado
  • Dongon
  • Gawisan
  • Guadalupe
  • Hanginan
  • Hantag
  • Hinapu Daku
  • Hinapu Gamay
  • Ibarra
  • Isagani
  • Laboon
  • Lanao
  • Libhu
  • Lonoy
  • Lunas
  • Mahayahay
  • Malapoc Norte
  • Malapoc Sur
  • Mambajao (Pob.)
  • Manhilo
  • Mantahan (Pob.)
  • Maria Clara
  • Matin-ao
  • Nasaug
  • Nati
  • Nonok Norte
  • Nonok Sur
  • Panan-awan
  • Pansaan
  • Pinascohan
  • Rizal
  • San Isidro
  • San Jose
  • San Rafael
  • Santa Cruz
  • Santa Rosa
  • Santo Niño
  • Santo Rosario
  • Soro-soro
  • Tagnipa (Pob.)
  • Tam-is
  • Tawid
  • Tigbawan
  • Tomoy-tomoy
  • Tunga-tunga (Pob.)
  • Acasia
  • Combado
  • Libertad
  • Lib-og
  • Pasay
  • San Agustin

history

Maasin is one of the oldest villages in the south of the island of Leyte . Little is known, however, of their existence in the pre-Hispanic period. When the Spanish missionaries began their work in this village, they quickly noticed that the community was well organized and extremely interested in the Catholic religion. At the beginning of the 18th century, therefore, the Jesuit missionaries decided to set up a church in this place.

The Maasin City Cathedral.

The place flourished during the 18th century when the Jesuit priests built the first church, the ruins of which can still be found in the area between Abgao and Mantahan. The Jesuits administered the village between 1700 and 1768, before the church duties were taken over by the Augustinians and continued until 1843. During this time they built another church, about a kilometer from the first church, which still exists today, but is in dire need of renovation. Between 1843 and 1896, missionaries of the Franciscan Order continued the Christian work before they were forced to give up Maasin as a location due to the emerging Philippine Revolution .

During the Spanish colonial period, Maasin developed into an independent community and a busy seaport that expanded trade to the nearby islands of Cebu, Bohol and Mindanao .

During the brief period of the Philippine Revolution against Spain, there was a change at the top of the local council. In the autumn of 1898 General Lukban came to Maasin, put together a municipal government on behalf of the temporarily existing Philippine Republic, founded a court of first instance and a tax authority (like the provincial tax authority) here immediately before the end of Spanish rule and set up an office of the " Administrador de Hacienda "(equal to the provincial treasury).

The arrival of the Americans at the beginning of the 20th century ended Filipinos' dreams of independence and the country came under the rule of a new colonial power. Under the American administration, democratic institutions were established, schools were founded, the economy began to develop, making Maasin the place with the best economic prospects in all of southwest Leyte. With the change of power in the country, most positions were transferred to Tacloban , although the location of the tax authority remained in Maasin. The great distance between Maasin and the provincial capital made the administration of the southern areas from Tacloban much more difficult. In addition, there were the linguistic obstacles that prevailed between the Cebuano- speaking West and South Ilyte and the eastern and northern island region with its dialect Wáray-Wáray . For this reason, various prominent leaders supported the plans to split the island into two separate provinces.

On June 3, 1942, the Japanese marched into Maasin and placed the place under martial law. Many residents fled the atrocities of the Japanese in the mountainous regions and the surrounding hills. Some brave residents, such as Ruperto Kangleon or Alfonso Cobile, fought the Japanese occupiers in a guerrilla war, which inscribed them in the history of the city.

Maasin was finally recaptured in late 1944, when American troops landed on Leyte and fought their way continuously through the island to Maasin in the Battle of Leyte . After the war, the town became again a busy coastal town and transshipment point for goods from and to the neighboring islands as well as a commercial and industrial center in the south of Leyte.

On June 1, 1960, Southern Leyte was officially made an independent province, with the town of Maasin being assigned the seat of the provincial government. After the town had increased in population and economic power in the following decades, Congressman Aniceto G. Saludo, Jr submitted House Bill No. 7201, which provided for the conversion of the municipality of Maasin into a provincial town.

Republic Act No. 8796, signed by President Joseph Estrada on July 11, 2000, which was approved by the residents in a referendum on August 10, 2000, finally granted Maasin city status.

climate

The months of March to May are rather hot and dry in this area, with temperatures fluctuating between 22 ° C and 32 ° C. Since the province is usually not exposed to a particularly dry season, rainfall can occur more or less throughout the year; however, they accumulate in the months of June to October.

The period between November and February, on the other hand, is characterized by cooler temperatures of 22 ° C to 28 ° C. The average annual humidity is 77%.

Attractions

The Cagnitoan Lagoon is located in the mountain region belonging to Maasin City
Mother Mary Shrine
chapel belonging to the statue of Mary

The cathedral , which was built between 1839 and 1852 , is probably the oldest and largest house of worship in Maasin City, and is the third structure on this site. A church was built there in the 17th century, but it fell victim to a fire. The same fate befell the second building. The church, which still exists today, was built under the supervision of the Spanish colonial rulers, but the construction and financing was carried out entirely by the residents of the city. Each family had to provide a worker every day and deliver six eggs, with the egg white being incorporated into the building materials and the yolk used for food. Anyone who did not follow these guidelines could expect to be flogged. The city has also been the seat of a bishopric since 1968. It is located on Anatalio Gaviola Plaza . Dedicated to a former mayor of the city, this park is a popular recreational area.

The "Cagnitoan Lagoon" (Cagnitoan Lagoon; 276 meters above sea level) as well as the "Guisohotan Cave" (Guinsohotan Cave) a few meters higher are located in Barangay Cagnitoan. They can be reached from the Barangay Maria-Clara. A local guide who knows the place is recommended. Even if the water is said to have a healing or therapeutic effect according to individual reports, this has not been scientifically proven. The cold and therefore very refreshing water of the lagoon, especially in the dry season, springs from the "Guisohotan Cave", which can be explored with a guide and using a lamp. Inside there are some smaller waterfalls. In addition, the cave is used as a home for many bats, especially because of its branchiness and high humidity.

Camp Danao Forest Park is 15 km from the city center and is located in the Maasins mountain region at an altitude of 335 m. It has an area of ​​approximately 500 hectares. After a large-scale fire, the park was systematically reforested. After the responsibility was transferred from the provincial government to the local administration in 1989, the building of a bungalow turned it into a recreational area. Since then, courses and workshops on a wide variety of topics have been held here on a regular basis. In 2000 an artificial lake was created. Since the middle of 2010 the park has been systematically expanded into a kind of zoo, in which the animals are not kept in cages, but are separated from the visitor by natural obstacles. At least 25 animal species (birds, various mammals, crocodiles etc.) can be viewed there. The project should be completed in the course of 2012. In addition, the park and the surrounding forest served the Filipino scouts in 2010 as a nationwide meeting place (2010 BSP National Activity).

The privately owned Abiera Museo d'Art is open to the public and houses a large number of domestic and European animal preparations, a coin collection, model replicas, drawings and sketches of historical buildings and historical relics from the region. In addition, some species of birds can be seen in cages (including various owls). The owner is a former congressman and well-respected artist.

The statue "Lady of Assumption" (in German: "Mariä Himmelfahrt") (also known locally under the name: "Mama Mary Shrine") is visible from a further distance from the sea. It is 104 m above sea level on the "Jalleca Hills". The statue is about 11 meters (36 feet) high, making it the tallest statue of Mary in the Philippines. The concrete and iron statue was built in 1995/1996 after a resident of Maasin (Mrs. Milagros Gaviola) had a dream Marian apparition and was able to convince local and national donors to finance this statue. Most of the workers have also worked voluntarily and without pay. The architect of the statue is Salvador Abiera, who also lives in Maasin and who also owns the above-mentioned "Abiera Museo d'Art". A chapel directly adjacent to the statue was built in 1996/97. Behind a simple altar are some saints and putti on a cloud. It can be reached via a staircase that is more than 300 steps high.

Maasin, known for its religious attractions in the Philippines, has a pilgrimage center, the San Francisco Javier Pilgrims Center (also known as "Hanginan" because it is located in the region), in addition to the statue "Lady of Assumption" mentioned above Barangay of the same name). The chapel, located at an altitude of 400 meters, can be reached via a hiking trail. According to the story, a family from the island of Bohol sent their son to Maasin with a statue of St. Francisco Javier (a soldier during his lifetime) to find a place "in the mountains but not too far from the city" from one could see the whole area. There he was to build a shrine in honor of the saint. This has been expanded over time. The original construction is dated around 1930. Hundreds of people still make a pilgrimage to Hanginan every Friday morning. It is also a tradition for soldiers from the region to make a pilgrimage to pray before moving there. Students, schoolchildren or people standing before other exams also make a pilgrimage to this place to pray for success. Often these prayers are rewarded with a "miracle".

The sanctuary for pilgrims and believers, Monte Cueva , donated by Odong and Loring Chung , is a bit away from the Maasin city center. This is a "cathedral" located in a cave, in which during the Second World War and BC. a. relics and other church goods were kept during the Japanese occupation. During this time, masses were secretly held there. Above the cave is a nine meter (30 foot) high statue of Mary that looks down from an elevation. Today pilgrims and locals regularly celebrate masses there, either in the cave itself or in front of an altar on the mountain plateau.

Individual evidence

  1. NSCB - 2001 Factsheet - 12 New Cities Created , July-December 2000.
  2. a b c Maasin City - Simply Marvelous! Brochure; Ed: City Investment Promotion & Tourism Office

Web links