Filipinos stake a large claim on hospitality, just sort of making it a national treasure, and the Leyteños from the small province of Southern Leyte are no different. There is a warmth that begins with the lilt and caress of welcoming voices. Most of the locals, you see, speak Cebuano, a dialect that seems naturally nurturing.
Even the land is naturally welcoming, as evidenced by the lights that beckon from homes that hug the coast and the waving fronds of coconut palms.
Southern Leyte may be reached by land via the Pan Philippine Highway or, as most prefer, by sea. Either way, one finds oneself in Maasin, the provincial capital. Maasin is hardly your idea of a bustling town; it has maintained a pace that is welcome after the hurly-burly of city life. It is also blessedly situated between sea and forest. The former provides virtually untouched beaches waiting to be discovered, and the latter, virgin growth still unexplored.
Geography
Southern Leyte is bounded on the north by the province of Leyte, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the west by the Camotes Sea, and on the south by Sogod Bay. Its total land area is 1,734.8 sq. kilometers.
The province is characterized by relatively flat lands along the coastal areas where population centers lay, but rugged and mountainous towards the interior. It has numerous small rivers in addition to at least 11 major rivers.
Political Subdivision
The province consists of 19 towns. Capital is Maasin.
Climate
Generally, the province has no dry season with rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. It has a pronounced maximum rainfall occurring from July to December.
Population
As of the 1995 census, the provincial population was 3,366,917.
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