Limasawa

For the Filipino folk-pop album, see Limasawa Street.

Limasawa, officially the Municipality of Limasawa (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Limasawa; Filipino: Bayan ng Limasawa), is an island municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 6,191 people, making it the least populated town in the province.^[3]

Limasawa Mazaua
Municipality
Municipality of Limasawa
Flag Seal
Nickname:  "The First Mass Site in the Philippines"
Motto:  Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda.
Map of Southern Leyte with Limasawa highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Limasawa Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°54′28″N 125°04′30″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Southern Leyte
District	1st district
Founded	June 11, 1978 (Completely became official on August 27, 1989)
Barangays	6 (see Barangays)
Government  [1][failed verification]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• mayor of Limasawa[*]	Melchor P. Petracorta (Lakas)
• Vice Mayor	Ritche L. Salomon (Lakas)
• Representative	Luz V. Mercado
• Municipal Council	Members Modesto P. Petracorta Arben C. Dagohoy Sim B. Olojan Ezer B. Angob Sally M. Oro Jona O. Lambot Renato M. Salomon Alfredo P. Galvez
• Electorate	4,407 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	6.98 km2 (2.69 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Highest elevation	848 m (2,782 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	7,118
• Density	1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
• Households	1,491
Demonym	Limasawan
Economy
• Income class	6th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	27.02 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 57.98 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 214.1 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 59.73 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 58.3 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6605
PSGC	086419000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Boholano dialect Cebuano Tagalog

History

Limasawa was the second island (after Suluan) of the Philippines that the Magellan Expedition landed on. Antonio Pigafetta documented the island as "Mazaua". He described it as being inhabited with cultivated fields. In March 28, 1521 the Magellan Expedition met with two rulers, Rajah Colambu and Rahah Siaui, of the Rajahnate of Butuan and "Calagan" (Caraga), which Pigafetta misidentified as islands. The rulers were on a hunting expedition on Limasawa (which were under their domain) with two balangay ships. The rulers entertained Magellan's crew with feasting for a few days. Afterwards, Father Pedro de Valderrama performed the first mass in the Philippines on Easter Sunday (March 31, 1521). Magellan also climbed the highest elevation in Limasawa and erected a cross before leaving for "Zubu" (Cebu).^{[5]: 136–145}

At the request of the residents of the island of Limasawa, the six barangays that comprise that island were detached and separated from the municipality of Padre Burgos through Presidential Decree No. 1549, signed by then President Ferdinand Marcos on June 11, 1978, and constituted as the Municipality of Limasawa.^[6] Limasawa completely became a municipality on August 27, 1989, after then President Corazon Aquino ordered the plebiscite which its residents voted in favor of the creation. The island, also known as Sarangani Island, is located south of Leyte, in the Mindanao or Bohol Sea. It is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long from north to south and is the smallest municipality in the province, in both area and population.

Geography

Barangays

Limasawa is politically subdivided into 6 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Cabulihan
• Lugsongan
• Magallanes (Poblacion)
• San Agustin (Tawid)
• San Bernardo (Tigib)
• Trianas

Climate

Climate data for Limasawa, Southern Leyte
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	27 (81)	28 (82)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	98 (3.9)	82 (3.2)	96 (3.8)	71 (2.8)	104 (4.1)	129 (5.1)	101 (4.0)	94 (3.7)	99 (3.9)	135 (5.3)	174 (6.9)	143 (5.6)	1,326 (52.3)
Average rainy days	18.0	14.1	17.1	16.8	23.7	25.7	25.8	23.3	24.4	25.9	24.0	20.6	259.4
Source: Meteoblue[7]

Demographics

Population census of Limasawa

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	4,519	—
1995	4,927	+1.63%
2000	5,157	+0.98%
2007	5,831	+1.71%
2010	5,835	+0.02%
2015	6,061	+0.73%
2020	6,191	+0.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [8][9][10][11]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Limasawa

10 20 30 40 50 2006 25.10 2009 37.32 2012 48.54 2015 38.29 2018 22.48 2021 27.02 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

See also

• Butuan
• Dimasaua
• First Mass in the Philippines
• Ruy López de Villalobos

References

1.  Municipality of Limasawa | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. Nowell, C. E. (1962). "Antonio Pigafetta's account". Magellan's Voyage Around the World. Evanston: Northwestern University Press. hdl:2027/mdp.39015008001532. OCLC 347382.
6. "Presidential Decree No. 1549, s. 1978". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Philippine Government. June 11, 1978.
7. "Limasawa, Southern Leyte : Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
8. Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
9. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
10. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
11. "Province of Southern Leyte". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
12. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
13. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
14. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
15. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
16. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
17. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
18. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
19. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

External links

• Limasawa Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• ELGU Website of Limasawa
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System
• Limasawa Island Information