Abuyog | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Abuyog | |
 Downtown area | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname: Home of the Buyogan Festival | |
| Anthem: Abuyog Hymn | |
 Map of Leyte with Abuyog highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg)  Abuyog Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:10°44′49″N125°00′43″E / 10.747°N 125.012°E /10.747; 125.012 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Eastern Visayas |
| Province | Leyte |
| District | 5th district |
| Barangays | 63 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Lemuel Gin K. Traya (NPC) |
| • Vice Mayor | Dario P. Lleve (NPC) |
| • Representative | Carl Nicolas C. Cari |
| • Councilors | List
|
| • Electorate | 41,899 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• 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 (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 61,854 |
| • Density | 89.871/km2 (232.77/sq mi) |
| • Households | 14,896 |
| Demonym | Abuyognon |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 1st municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 27.84 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 435.2 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 1,203 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 404.6 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 213.7 million (2021, 2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Coperative (DORELCO) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 6510 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)53 |
| Native languages | Waray Tagalog |
| Website | abuyogleyte |
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 theprovince ofLeyte,Philippines. According to the2020 census, it has a population of 61,216 people.[5]
FacingLeyte Gulf out into thePhilippine Sea, it is the largest town on the island ofLeyte in terms of land area. It is bordered to the north byJavier, to the west byMahaplag andBaybay, and to the south bySilago, located inSouthern Leyte.
In 1588 the local inhabitants revolted and killed theencomendero. In response to this, 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, theJesuits established Abuyog as their second mission post, withDagami serving as the center. In 1716, the town and parish were officially founded under the patronage of SaintFrancis Xavier, theApostle of theIndies. TheAugustinians took over in 1768, continuing the work of Fathers Jose Herrera and Cipriano Barbasan. In 1843, the town was entrusted to theFranciscan 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.[6] From 1901 to 1906,pulahan attacks occurred, led by Faustino Ablen. The municipal building was razed. Ex-Captain Eugenio Villote, Pedro Gonazaga, and two other policemen were killed in the encounter.[6]
In the electoral division made by thePhilippine Assembly, Abuyog was placed in the third district ofLeyte. 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 3 July 1946. Mayor Pedro Remanes Gallego was the only mayor ofLeyte province who did not surrender to the Japanese forces. On 4 July 1946, Catalino Landia was appointed mayor with a tenure lasting three turns.
Abuyog inaugurated the first passenger bus service in 1925. In 1936, the vice-presidentSergio Osmeña inaugurated theBaybay–Abuyog road, which linked the eastern and western coasts of Leyte.[7]
DuringWorld War II, Abuyog became aJapanese 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 13 October 1942, the Japanese abandoned the town due toguerrilla pressure, returning 26 November 1943, suffering heavy losses at the hands of the guerrillas.[6] From 26–31 December, theXXIV Corps of theUnited States opened thePalompon–Libungao road. The77th Infantry Division led the charge to secure the road, facing resistance from theJapanese 5th Regiment.[8]
On 14 July 1944, when the submarineNautilus landed in Barrio San Roque, Mayor Gallego provided the logistics (manpower, bamboo rafts, transport, lookouts) toColonel Ruperto Kangleon (the head of Leyte Resistance Movement) to unload 72 tons of automatic weapons (Thompson submachine guns and other rapid fires likecarbine andM1 Garand guns[9]), ammunition, food and propaganda materials for Leyte andSamar guerrillas.[6]
Kangleon tipped the naval officers ofNautilus on the locations of Japanese fortifications in Leyte province.[10]: 17 The local guerrillas of Abuyog used the automatic weapons to repeatedly ambush the Japanese forces.[10]: 122–123 When the American fleet under General Douglas MacArthur was sighted offLeyte Gulf, Japanese forces left Abuyog before the landing of Allied Forces, which included the Filipino troops of thePhilippine Commonwealth Army andPhilippine Constabulary military units.[10]: 16 After liberation, elementary school education was resumed on 4 December 1944, under the supervision of the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit (PCAU).[6]
Abuyog is politically subdivided into 63barangays. Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
| Climate data for Abuyog, Leyte | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 78 (3.1) | 57 (2.2) | 84 (3.3) | 79 (3.1) | 118 (4.6) | 181 (7.1) | 178 (7.0) | 169 (6.7) | 172 (6.8) | 180 (7.1) | 174 (6.9) | 128 (5.0) | 1,598 (62.9) |
| Average rainy days | 16.7 | 13.8 | 17.3 | 18.5 | 23.2 | 26.5 | 27.1 | 26.0 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 24.6 | 21.0 | 268.6 |
| Source: Meteoblue[11] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 8,943 | — |
| 1918 | 16,546 | +4.19% |
| 1939 | 39,111 | +4.18% |
| 1948 | 46,930 | +2.05% |
| 1960 | 37,709 | −1.81% |
| 1970 | 34,434 | −0.90% |
| 1975 | 37,864 | +1.92% |
| 1980 | 41,702 | +1.95% |
| 1990 | 47,265 | +1.26% |
| 1995 | 48,905 | +0.64% |
| 2000 | 53,837 | +2.08% |
| 2007 | 56,097 | +0.57% |
| 2010 | 57,146 | +0.68% |
| 2015 | 59,571 | +0.79% |
| 2020 | 61,216 | +0.57% |
| 2024 | 61,854 | +0.25% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16] | ||
In the 2020 census, the population of Abuyog, Leyte, was 61,216 people,[17] with a density of 89 inhabitants per square kilometre or 230 inhabitants per square mile.
Poverty incidence of Abuyog
Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
The main language used in Abuyog is nowWaray-Waray language.
| Position | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Lemuel Gin K. Traya | NPC | |
| Vice Mayor | Dario P. Lleve | NPC | |
| Councilors | Lemuel Vincent DP. Tan | NPC | |
| Felicito V. Topia Jr. | NPC | ||
| Ma. Amelia C. Gacis | Aksyon | ||
| Ofelia K. Traya | Independent | ||
| Rodulfo M. Cabias | NPC | ||
| Roy Percival M. Perez | Aksyon | ||
| Patrocino A. Risos Jr. | Aksyon | ||
| Erwin V. Belleza | NPC | ||
| Ex Officio Municipal Council Members | |||
| ABC President | TBD | Nonpartisan | |
| SK Federation President | TBD | Nonpartisan | |
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 theRoman 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 has several secondary and primary schools. The secondary schools include the Abuyog Academy, theNotre Dame of Abuyog, the Kikilo National High School, and others.
The Abuyog Community College (ACC) in Brgy. Guintagbucan, Abuyog, Leyte is a local Government unit sponsored college which under the sponsorship of the Sangguniang Bayan of Abuyog, Leyte through its Resolution Number 110, series of 1978 passed on 21 October 1978, has been authorized by then the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (MECS) under permit number 41,s.1979 to open and conduct First Year Level of Liberal Arts course starting school year 1979-1980.[26]
Places adjacent to Abuyog | |
|---|---|
 Province ofLeyte | |
|---|---|
Tacloban (capital and largest city) | |
| Municipalities | |
| Component city | |
| Independent component city |
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| Highly urbanized city |
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