Only few Filipinos living outside of Eastern Visayas are familiar with Southern Leyte. You may have heard of Samar, Tacloban, or Ormoc, but what about Southern Leyte?
Southern Leyte is a unique province facing the mighty Pacific Ocean and lavished with dense rainforests. Our geographical position and environmental bounty enable us to live in relative prosperity. People here have a variety of livelihood opportunities like farming, fishing, poultry, livestock, and many more. We are also considered one of the country’s largest coconut producers, with more than 30,000 hectares of land cultivated for coconut farming.
Southern Leyte has a great number of tourist attractions, among them: the majestic twin barangay islands of San Pablo and San Pedro in Hinunangan with their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters; the Tagbak Marine Park in Liloan where one can enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, and other forms of water activities; the billion-peso Agas-Agas Bridge in Sogod, Southern Leyte, the tallest bridge in the Philippines; the Cambaro Caves in Macrohon with their stunning rock formations; and the Santo Niño Church in Malitbog, built in the 1850s.
Above all, the welcoming and congenial locals will make you love the place, as foreigners and local tourists who have come to visit us can attest.
With these attractions, Southern Leyte should be included in your list of must-visit places in the country.
MARLON P. LABASTIDA
Sogod, Southern Leyte