Hilongos (IPA: [hɪ'lɔŋos]), officially the Municipality of Hilongos (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Hilongos; Waray: Bungto han Hilongos; Tagalog: Bayan ng Hilongos), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,514 people.[3]
Hilongos is the biggest municipality in terms of income, population and land area in the southwestern part of Leyte. A string of five equidistant municipalities, namely Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato and Matalom comprises the southwestern part of Leyte. Hilongos, being at the geographical center, is also the center for government, religion, shipping, rice production, commerce, banking, finance, telecommunications, health services, education, sports and socio-cultural activities.[citation needed]
The Port of Hilongos is one of the biggest and busiest in Eastern Visayas (Region 8), well known for its good passenger and cargo services to Cebu City and vice versa.[citation needed] Due to its strategic location and close proximity to the city of Cebu, Hilongos Port caters quite a number of day and night trips to and from the city and is the primary choice for travelers especially from the southern part of Leyte. Also, Hilongos has an airport, which can be more helpful and useful if improved (for so many years, travelers from the southern part of Leyte need to go as far as Tacloban and or Cebu just to avail the services of commercial airlines).
Hilongos has 2 public markets and two 2 transport terminals. The municipality is composed of 51 barangays with vast coastal plains used mainly in the production of rice.
History
Church Sanctuary
Lore has it that in the 12th century, Amahawin, an Ilonggo from Iloilo, conquered neighboring barangays on Leyte's western shore and extended his territory to the present limits of Inopacan, Hindang, Bato, and Matalom. He formed a settlement and named it Hilongos, because its inhabitants were Ilonggos.
In 1710, the Jesuits created a residence there. In 1737, according to Redondo 1886:207, Hilongos was already a parish before this year. However, Braganza (1965) claims that Hilongos became a parish only in 1737. This date corresponded to the establishment of the town.(Tantuico 1964:41)
1754 was the date of the oldest parish books (deaths) as of 1884.
In 1768, the Jesuits ceded Hilongos to the Augustinians. In 1774–79, the Augustinians established schools in Hilongos. In 1784, Palompon, a Hilongos visita, became an independent parish.
In 1862, Manicar led a revolt at Barrio Santa Margarita.
In 1873, Leovio Magia led a revolt. Unlike the towns of eastern Leyte, which were ceded to the Franciscans in 1843, the towns along Leyte's western coast fell one by one under the seculars.
In late 1992, an unrecognized municipal government ran by the New People's Army from within Barangay San Antonio, Hilongos collapsed upon being taken over by the Philippine National Police (PNP).[5]
On December 28, 2016, two explosions rocked the small town during the town fiesta. The explosion occurred in Barangay Central Poblacion were a boxing match was being held. At least 34 people residents were injured and brought to the Hilongos District Hospital and other nearby hospitals.[6] Officials said an IED was used in the attack. No suspects were identified.[7]
Geography
Hilongos shares borders with the municipalities of Hindang to the north, Mahaplag to the northeast, Sogod (Southern Leyte) and Bontoc (Southern Leyte) to the east, Bato to the south and to the west lies the Camotes Sea.
Barangays
Hilongos is politically subdivided into 51 barangays.[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Hilongos, Leyte, was 64,514 people,[3] with a density of 330 inhabitants per square kilometre or 850 inhabitants per square mile.
Culture
Heritage sites
Church Bell Tower
Church complex—The present church's bell tower is attributed by Redondo to a secular Don Leonardo Celis-Díaz, a native of Cebu. The building of the church fabric itself is disputed.[21]
The church complex underwent major renovations over the centuries. The original church, now incorporated as a transept, was a single-nave structure whose main door was also the gate to a bastioned fortification. Some bastions and walls of that fortification still remain. The main nave of the church is a modern construction, and the bell tower build by Fr. Celis-Diaz is an independent multi story structure, now plastered over with Portland cement.
The church interior is completely new in contrast to the convento which may have been completed in the 19th century. The convento guards many of the church's antiques including silver vessels from the 18th century.
Transportation
Shipping
Port of Hilongos
Roble Shipping Inc.: Ro-Ro/Passenger/Cargo service, day & night trips to Cebu City and vice versa
Gabisan Shipping Lines Inc.: Ro-Ro/Passenger/Cargo service, day & night trips to Cebu City and vice versa
Peñafrancia/Santa Clara Shipping Corporation: Ro-Ro/Passenger/Cargo service, daily trips to Ubay, Bohol and vice versa
Seacat (Grand Ferries): Fastcraft to Cebu City and vice versa
Leopards Motorboat Service: daily trips to Ubay, Bohol and vice versa
Also, a number of cargo vessels are making calls at the port of Hilongos for cement, copra and other cargoes/products
Land
Main Type of Transportation: Bus/Mini-Bus/Van/Jeep/Multicab
Other Types of Land Transport Facilities: Electronic Tricycles (RACAL), Sidecars (Tricycles), "Trisikad/Padyak" (locally known as "Pot-pot") and also "Habal-habal" (specialized motorcycles that are used as the mode of transport for the mountainous parts of Interior Hilongos).
Braganza, José Vicente (1965). Story of Leyte. Tacloban: unpublished. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)
Sendino y Redondo, Felipe (1886). Breve reseña de lo que fue y de lo que es la Diócesis de Cebú en las Islas Filipinas (in Spanish). Manila: Colegio de Santo Tomas.
Tantuico, Francisco Sypaco (1964). Leyte : the historic islands. prefaced by Carlos P. Romulo. Tacloban: Leyte Pub. Corp.
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