Southern Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas Region (Region VIII) of the Visayas. The province covers roughly 1,801.46 square kilometers and is composed of 19 municipalities, 1 component city and a total of 500 barangays. The capital of the province is Maasin City. The name 'Southern Leyte' was derived from its geographical location, as it occupies the southern portion of Leyte Island.

History

Southern Leyte was originally part of the province of Leyte. For a long time, its municipalities were governed from Tacloban, which was distant from the southern towns and made administration difficult. Because of this, local leaders and residents sought for a separate province to better manage their affairs. Their efforts succeeded when Republic Act No. 2227 was signed into law on May 22, 1960, officially creating the Province of Southern Leyte with Maasin as its capital. The province has also been notable in Philippine history. It is home to Limasawa Island, where the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines was celebrated on March 31, 1521, by Ferdinand Magellan and his expedition. Throughout its history, Southern Leyte has faced challenges, particularly natural calamities like landslides and typhoons, but it has continued to develop, balancing its agricultural base with growing tourism and trade.