Southern Leyte, Province in Eastern Visayas, Philippines.
Southern Leyte is a province in Eastern Visayas, Philippines, made up of one city and 18 municipalities stretching along the coast. Mountains rise inland from Sogod Bay, while villages and settlements cling to the shoreline and nestle into valleys.
This province split from Leyte in 1960 to ease administration in the southern part of the island. Maasin was named capital and has served as the administrative and commercial center since then.
Residents speak mainly Cebuano and Waray, two languages heard in daily life across markets, fishing ports and barangays. Many families still depend on farming and fishing, with rice, coconuts and seafood shaping everyday routines.
Ferry connections from ports in Maasin and Liloan bring travelers to other municipalities and neighboring islands. Jeepneys and motorbikes run between villages, connecting coastal roads with higher ground.
The small island of Limasawa off the coast is said to mark the site of the first Catholic Mass on Philippine soil in 1521. Visitors can climb to a memorial on a hill, where views open wide across the sea.
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