The History of Towns in Region VIII, Philippines
These histories were taken from the book Leyte Towns, Histories/Legends by Francisco S. Tantuico Jr of Tacloban City. Click on a town and view the history below the menu.
Almeria
The town of Almeria lies in the northwestern part of Biliran Island. This settlement became a town in 1886 and was named after a Spanish town bearing the same name. Before that, this settlement was called Bagongbong and afterwards, Solano. After a long-drawn controversy during the Commonwealth time, with the leaders of Kawayan, Almeria was reverted into a barrio.
As early as 1596 the Jesuit missionaries from Carigara reached this settlement and made conversions. In 1599, Fr. Juan de San Lucar from Samar also made a visit in this town, baptizing more than 400 people. The people pleaded that the padre stay with them but as transportation was difficult, the town had to be visited less often by the missions.
From the very beginning the townsfolk always felt that they were abandoned by the Catholic religious order despite their deep faith. When in the past they had petitioned for a parish priest, they were not spared one. The faithful even reached Cebu to look for a priest during their fiestas. This resentment grew for years until finally the Aglipayan sect took advantage of the situation. Today, Almeria is largely Aglipayan.
Almeria is mainly agricultural with rice, copra and corn as its chief products. It is also a constant supplier of fish, caught by fish corrals and nets. It has an area of about 120 square kilometers with a population of more than seven thousand.
The town is situated at the mouth of Biliran Strait and faces the Visayan Sea. It is often hit by severe winds and this partially accounts for its inaccessibility. Another drawback for the town's industry is that there is no single road connecting the town with any barrio or town.
Among the known families in Almeria are the Jaguros, del Rosarios, de los Reyeses, Jadals, Jadulcos and Mecaydors.
Through the persistent demands of the people, President Quirino on August 12, 1948, issued Executive Order No. 162 reverting Almeria to the status of a town effective September 1, 1948. The town now comprises the barrios of Almeria, Tabunan, Talahib, Pili, Gaukab, all of the municipality of Kawayan; and the barrios of Jamoraon, municipality of Naval. The boundary line between the municipality of Kawayan and the municipality of Almeria starts at Tabunan River following its course thence running straight to half of the old Kawayan-Caibiran boundary line; and the boundary line between the municipality of Naval and the municipality of Almeria consists of a straight imaginary line staring at Point Polang Bato and running easterly to the corner of the old Kawayan-Naval and Kawayan-Caibiran boundaries.
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