Region VIII is Eastern Visayas

Region VIII is Eastern Visayas. It covers the two big              

islands of Samar and Leyte and the smaller islands around them. There are five provinces and one sub-province in the region. They are Western Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran. The total land area ofthe region is 21,987 square kilometers.

Location and Climate

Eastern Visayas is directly facing the Pacific Ocean. It is separated from Luzon by the San Bernardino Strait. Because of its location, this region, particularly the island of Samar, is always hit by typhoons that originate from the Pacific. This is detrimental to the development of the region. Eastern Visayas remains one of the least developed regions in the country.

The region receives heavy rainfall throughout the year. There is no pronounced dry season in Eastern Leyte.

Importance of San Juanico Bridge

Look at the map of Region VI11. Do you notice the body of water that separates Samar and Leyte? That body of water is the San Juanico Strait. A strait is a narrow channel connecting two bodies of water. San Juanico is the narrowest strait in the world. Across the strait is the San Juanico Bridge which is the longest bridge in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. This bridge links Samar and Leyte. It has contributed much to the development of the region.

Products and Industries

The economy of the region relies mainly on agriculture and fishing. The main crops are coconut and abaca. Rice, corn and sweet potatoes are raised | for food. The waters surrounding the region are rich fishing grounds.

One major problem of the region is its poor means of transportation. Many towns and barangays do not have good roads and bridges. As a result, many resources have not been tapped or developed yet.

Eastern Visayas has rich forest areas where timber, firewood and other forest products can be obtained. These forests are concentrated in the interior of the islands.

Cultural Group

Region VIII is inhabited by the Waray-speaking people except in Southern Leyte where Cebuano is the major language.