The Old Congressional Districts of Leyte

(Part 9)

(In the 1700s, the Island of Leyte and Samar was part of the Diocese of Cebu. The proximity of the Island of Cebu to Leyte resulted to migration and inter-marriages, vice versa. Cebuanos and Leyteños, majority of them, are interrelated by affinity or blood, resulting in the political and religious traces in each other’s side.)

Old 4th District of Leyte

The district, from 1907 up to 1931, had the following composition: Alangalang, Babatngon, Dulag, Palo, Tacloban, Tanauan, Tolosa, and San Miguel.

Tacloban became a city by virtue of Republic Act 760 enacted on June 20, 1952. In the book report of Fr. Felipe Redondo in 1886 (A Brief Survey of What Was and What Is the Diocese of Cebu), Tacloban was the capital of the District of Leyte, which was under the Diocese of Cebu. It was created in 1770, under the patronage of the Sweetest Name of Jesus. According to Fr. Huerta of the same book report, Tacloban was formerly called Cancabatoc. Later it took the name of Casimoran and was a visita (chapel) of the town of Palo until the capital of the province was transferred to it from Carigara, and then it took the name of Tacloban.

The town of San Miguel was created by virtue of an executive order on June 22, 1956 issued by President Ramon Magsaysay. It annexed the barrios of Santa Rosa, Ibag, Hinugayan and portion of the barrio of Impo of the Municipality of Barugo. On June 26, 1993, Republic Act 7791 was enacted granting the town of San Miguel a holiday every September 29.

The representatives of the district starting from the 1st Philippine Legislature (1907) up to the 8th Philippine Legislature (1928): Jaime C. De Veyra (1907-1909), Francisco D. Enage (1909-1916), Ruperto Kapunan (1916-1922), Filomeno Montejo (1922-1928) and Cirilo Bayaya (1928-1931).

Jaime C. de Veyra was a close associate of the Grand Old Man of Cebu, Don Sergio Suico Osmeña Sr. He was born in Tanauan, Leyte on November 4, 1873 and died on March 7, 1963. He served as councilor of the Municipality of Cebu, governor of Leyte from 1906 to 1907, and member of the Philippine Commission from 1913 to 1916. A street in Cebu City (North Reclamation Area) is named after him. He became director of the Institute of National Language from 1937 to 1944. (To be continued)

P.S.: “SCOUTMASTER SERGIO DAMAZO JR. BRIDGE NAMING PROPOSED ORDINANCE”. Calling all Josenian Scouts, USJR Administrators and Community please kindly attend its public hearing this June 11 (Tuesday), 2019, 1:00 pm, Session Hall, Cebu City and support its passage. Adelante