The Old Congressional Districts of Leyte

(Part 6)

In the 1700s Leyte and Samar were part of the Diocese of Cebu. The proximity of the island of Cebu to Leyte resulted in migration and inter-marriages between the two places. Majority of Cebuanos and Leyteños are interrelated by affinity or blood, the result of this is that their politics and religious practices share common roots.

Old 2nd District of Leyte

In 1961 there was a re-composition of the district into the following: Alangalang, Barugo, Burauen, Capoocan, Carigara, Dagami, Jaro, Julita, La Paz, Pastrana, Tabontabon, and Tunga.

The old 2nd District existed until 1972 when President Marcos padlocked Congress days after he declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972. Primo Avestruz Villasin was the representative of what was called the 5th Congress from 1961 to 1965. The Villasins comes from Barugo. A member of the clan by the name of Don Agustin Villasin was its mayor from 1931 to 1933.

In the 6th and 7th Congress (1965 to 1972) Salud Vivero Parreno was its representative. The congresswoman became a stalwart of Nacionalista in the 1960s, it was she who brought to the Malacanang 150 converts from the Liberal Party to the Nacionalista Party before President Carlos Polistico Garcia (who married a Leonila Dimataga of Opon, now called Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu). The event happened on July 2, 1961 with the presence of fellow Leyte political kingpins, Speaker Daniel Romualdez of Northern Leyte and Congressman Nicanor Yñiguez of Southern Leyte.

Carigara was created as a parish in 1625, its oldest entry according to a report in 1886 dates back to 1786. It is under the patronage of the Triumph of the Holy Cross while Barugo was created as a parish in 1768 under the patronage of the Patriarch St. Joseph.

When the 1987 Constitution was passed Leyte and Samar were redistricted. At present the 2nd District of Leyte is composed of the following: Barugo, Burauen, Capoocan, Carigara, Dagami, Dulag, Jaro, Julita, La Paz, MacArthur, Mayorga, Pastrana, Tabontabon, and Tunga. The first elected congressman of the newly-created Second District of Leyte was Manuel L. Horca (1987-1992), he was succeeded by Sergio Antonio F. Apostol who was its congressman from 1992 to 2001 who was then replaced by Trinidad G. Apostol from 2001 to 2010. (To be continued)

P.S.: “Scoutmaster Sergio Damazo Jr. bridge-naming proposed ordinance.” Calling all Josenian scouts, USJ-R administrators and community, please kindly attend its public hearing this June 11, 2019 (Tuesday), 1 p.m., Session Hall, Cebu City, and support its passage. Adelante!