Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Region (Region VIII) of the Visayas. The province covers roughly 6,335.44 square kilometers and is composed of 40 municipalities and 3 cities with a total of 1,503 barangays. The capital of the province is Tacloban City. Leyte is historically significant as it was the site of the landing of General Douglas MacArthur in 1944 during World War II, marking the beginning of the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation. The name 'Leyte' is derived from its old name 'Tandaya,' which was later changed by the Spanish colonizers to its present name.

History

Leyte has a long and rich history dating back to pre-colonial times when it was known as Tandaya, inhabited by various indigenous groups engaged in fishing, farming, and trading with neighboring islands. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan and his crew first set foot in the Visayas, and Leyte was among the islands they encountered during their expedition. Later, in 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos landed on the island and named the entire archipelago 'Las Islas Filipinas' in honor of Prince Philip of Spain. During the Spanish colonial period, Leyte became an important settlement for missionaries, particularly the Jesuits and Augustinians, who introduced Christianity to the local population. The province also played a role in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule, with local uprisings supporting the call for independence. In World War II, Leyte gained global significance when General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his famous promise, 'I shall return,' by landing on the shores of Palo, Leyte on October 20, 1944. This marked the start of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, considered the largest naval battle in history, and the beginning of the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.