Abuyog

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Abuyog
Municipality
Municipality of Abuyog
Downtown area
Flag
Nickname:  Home of the Buyogan Festival
Anthem: Abuyog Hymn
Map of Leyte with Abuyog highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Abuyog Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°44′45″N 125°00′44″E / 10.745797°N 125.012181°E / 10.745797; 125.012181
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Leyte
District	5th district
Barangays	63 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• mayor of Abuyog[*]	Lemuel Gin K. Traya
• Vice Mayor	Octavio J. Traya Jr.
• Representative	Carl Nicolas C. Cari
• Councilors	List • Editha C. Deloy • James L. Bohol • Antonio C. Almendra • Jeannette A. Valida • Benito C. Sy • Arnold R. Allera • Erwin V. Belleza • Lemuel Lourdino L. Molina DILG Masterlist of Officials
• Electorate	40,871 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	688.25 km2 (265.73 sq mi)
Elevation	17 m (56 ft)
Highest elevation	357 m (1,171 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	61,216
• Density	89/km2 (230/sq mi)
• Households	14,896
Demonym	Abuyognon
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	27.84 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 310.8 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 978.3 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 421.9 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 141.2 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Coperative (DORELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6510
PSGC	0803701000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Waray Tagalog
Website	abuyogleyte.gov.ph

Abuyog (IPA: [ʔɐ'bujog]), officially the Municipality of Abuyog (Waray: Bungto han Abuyog; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Abuyog; Tagalog: Bayan ng Abuyog), is a municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 61,216 people.^[3]

Facing Leyte Gulf out into the Philippine Sea, it is the largest town on the island of Leyte in terms of land area. It is bordered to the north by Javier, to the west by Mahaplag and Baybay and to the south by Silago, located in Southern Leyte.

In 1588, likely due to the mismanagement by the incumbent encomendero, the local inhabitants revolted. Captain Juan Esguerra dispatched a punitive force to punish the assassins of the encomendero. In 1613, the town was raided and plundered by the Sanguiles and Caragas.

In 1655, the Jesuits established Abuyog as their second mission post, with Dagami serving as the center. In 1716, the town and parish were officially founded under the patronage of St. Francis Xavier, the Apostle of the Indies. The Augustinians took over in 1768, continuing the work of Fathers Jose Herrera and Cipriano Barbasan. In 1843, the town was entrusted to the Franciscan Order, with Fr. Santiago Malonda becoming its first Franciscan parish priest. A horse path connecting Abuyog and Dulag was opened in 1851.

The early captains were Galza, Foran, Nicolas Mandia, Faustino Remanes, Prudencio Remanes, Felipe Costin, Ciriaco Costin, Eulalio Brillo, and Vicente Tiaoson. Eulalio Brillo became president in 1896–1899 while Nazario Tupa took office in 1900. Eugenio Villote finished Tupa's term.^[5] From 1901 to 1906, pulahanes attacks occurred, with one leader of which was Faustino Ablen. The municipal building was razed. Ex-Captain Eugenio Villote, Pedro Gonazaga, and two other policemen were killed in the encounter.^[5]

In the electoral division made by the Philippine Assembly, Abuyog was placed in the third district of Leyte. During the Commonwealth regime, Abuyog was transferred to the fourth district. During these periods, the town was under the administration of Arturo Brillo, Vicente Brillante, Basilio Adolfo (two terms), Antero Brillo and Ricardo Collantes (three terms). In 1940, Pedro Gallego was elected mayor and served until July 3, 1946. Mayor Pedro Remanes Gallego was the only mayor of Leyte province who did not surrender to the Japanese forces. On July 4, 1946, Catalino Landia was appointed mayor. He was re-elected for three terms.

Abuyog inaugurated the first passenger bus service in 1925. In 1936, the vice-president Sergio Osmeña inaugurated the Baybay–Abuyog road, which linked the eastern and western coasts of Leyte.^[6]

At the outbreak of World War II, Abuyog became a Japanese occupied area. Pedro Gallego retreated to the mountains to lead the guerrilla resistance. His wife, Ignacia Regis Gallego, organised the non-combatant Auxiliary Forces. On October 13, 1942, the Japanese abandoned the town due to guerrilla pressure. They came back on November 26, 1943, yet they suffered heavy losses in the hands of the guerrillas.^[5] From December 26–31, the XXIV Corps of the United States opened the Palompon–Libungao road. The 77th Infantry Division led the charge to secure the road, facing resistance from the Japanese 5th Regiment.^[7]

On July 14, 1944, when the submarine Nautilus landed in Barangay San Roque, Mayor Gallego provided the logistics (manpower, bamboo rafts, transport, lookouts) to Colonel Ruperto Kangleon (the head of Leyte Resistance Movement) to unload 72 tons of automatic weapons (Thompson submachine guns and other rapid fires like carbine and M1 Garand guns^[8]), ammunition, food and propaganda materials for Leyte and Samar guerrillas.^[5]

Kangleon tipped the naval officers of Nautilus on the locations of Japanese fortifications in Leyte province.^[9]: 17 The local guerrillas of Abuyog used the automatic weapons to repeatedly ambush the Japanese forces.^{[9]: 122–123} When the American Armada under General Douglas MacArthur was sighted off Leyte Gulf, Japanese forces left Abuyog before the landing of Allied Forces, which included the Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary military units.^[9]: 16 After liberation, elementary school education was resumed on December 4, 1944, under the supervision of the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit (PCAU).^[5]

• Javier, formerly known as Barangay Bugho.
• MacArthur, formerly known as Barangay Taraguna.
• Mahaplag, formerly known as Barangay Mahaplag.

Abuyog is politically subdivided into 63 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

In the 2020 census, the population of Abuyog, Leyte, was 61,216 people,^[3] with a density of 89 inhabitants per square kilometre or 230 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Abuyog

The language of this town which acquired the name "melting pot" became Waray-Waray language from the Samar immigrants.

The Church of St. Francis Xavier was first built with nipa, wood and bamboo in 1718 by the Jesuits. Fr. José Herrera and Cipriano Barbasan restored the church and convent, as well as the school and Casa Real. The Augustinians took over the church's supervision in 1768 after it was rebuilt. The church's design was changed in 1781 to conform with the architecture of the Roman Renaissance. A more durable church and convent of masonry was later built, with a galvanized iron roof and wooden floor. In 1965, the church was renovated when an extension was built at the center of the church through the effort of Msgr. Luis D. Caintic who also facilitated the construction of the new bell tower.

Kuapnit Balinsasayao National Park is a 364-hectare campsite located between Abuyog and Baybay. The 7-meter-high, 10-tiered Malaguicay Falls in Barangay Malaguicay has a 3-meter-deep pool. Tib-o Islet and Undersea Water Cave in Barangay Tib-o, Abuyog, is located within the Leyte Gulf area. Lake Bito is the closest lake to the border of Abuyog.

• Abuyog District Hospital
• Abuyog Rural Health Unit
• Balocawehay Rural Health Unit

Abuyog has several secondary and primary schools. The secondary schools include the Abuyog Academy, the Notre Dame of Abuyog, the Kikilo National High School, and others.

• Danny Javier, OPM singer and musician

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abuyog.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Abuyog.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Local Governance Performance Management System