Contents

MacArthur, Leyte

MacArthur
Municipality
Municipality of MacArthur
Flag
Map of Leyte with MacArthur highlighted
OpenStreetMap
MacArthur Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°50′08″N 124°59′47″E / 10.8356°N 124.9964°E / 10.8356; 124.9964
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Leyte
District	2nd district
Named for	Douglas MacArthur
Barangays	31 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Rudin T. Babante
• Vice Mayor	Rene R. Leria
• Representative	Lolita T. Javier
• Councilors	List • Josephine A. Piga • Jesus A. Baranda • Roden T. Belleza • Danilo M. Ulbata • Alberto H. Balaga • Trina C. Burawis • Leonides C. Ruba • Dante B. Esplanada DILG Masterlist of Officials
• Electorate	16,100 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	57.57 km2 (22.23 sq mi)
Elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Highest elevation	1,154 m (3,786 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	21,578
• Density	370/km2 (970/sq mi)
• Households	5,574
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	30.01 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 100.2 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 173.3 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 98.49 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 37.96 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Coperative (DORELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6509
PSGC	0803730000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)53
Native languages	Waray Tagalog
Website	www.macarthur-leyte.gov.ph

MacArthur (IPA: [mək 'ɑːrθər]), officially the Municipality of MacArthur (Waray: Bungto han MacArthur; Tagalog: Bayan ng MacArthur), is a 5th class municipality in the provinceofLeyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 21,578 people.^[3]

History[edit]

By virtue of Executive order No. 324, the town of MacArthur, Leyte was officially recognized as a municipality on June 17, 1950.

The name MacArthur can be traced back to the liberation of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese forces. As an expression of gratitude, six years after Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed at the Leyte Beach, the Leyteños through the efforts of the late Daniel Z. Romualdez, then Congressman of the First District of Leyte, named the town after its liberator.

The history of MacArthur covers a struggle that was both political and social. In the latter part of 19th century, MacArthur was a flourishing village called Bagacay, a bamboo species, because of the abundance of the plant in the locality. Its first inhabitants were the families of Gabion, Matol, Echavez, Moquia, Jervoso and Galo who came from the neighboring towns of Abuyog, Tolosa, Tanauan and Burauen. Abuyog was its mother town.

The name Bagacay was then changed to Tarragona by a parish priest of Abuyog, Fr. Bernardo Tapiol, who choose the name in honor of his native city in Spain. Sometime in 1898, Tarragona became an independent town with Anastacio JervosoasCaptain, the chief executive. That was when the Spanish government changed hands with the short- lived Philippine Republic. Leyte was then under the governorship of Gen. Mojica, Military Governor of Leyte. The local government, however, ended with the short-lived Philippine Republic, thus, returned to its former status as a barrio.

With the advent of the second World War, Senator Jose Veloso proclaimed Tarragona as a municipality with Antonio MatozaasMayor, Fabian PantinasVice-Mayor, Calixta MatozaasMunicipal Secretary, Alejandro NuevasasMunicipal Treasurer, and Marciano LumbreasChief of Police. The municipality was then composed of the following barrios; Osmeña, Capudlosan, Causwagan, Pongon, Danao, Casuntingan, Tuyo, San Isidro, Maya, Pinocawan, Batug, Kiling, Palale, Liwayway, Burabod, Gen. Luna, Calzada, Bugho, Manarog, Pondoc and Tin-awan.

When the American forces arrived in 1944, the municipality collapsed and returned to its being a barrio. The people re-petitioned President Sergio Osmeña to make Tarragona as a municipality again, but it did not materialize. In 1947, the people organized "Barrio Tarragona for Regular Town League". After the national elections in 1949, Daniel Z. Romualdez sponsored House Bill 141 creating the municipality of MacArthur with the seat of the municipal government at Tarragona. It was vetoed by then President Elpidio Quirino. Later, a follow-up was made by Congressman Romualdez and Governor Catalina Landia. Finally, the President issued Executive Order No. 324, which created the Municipality of MacArthur, LeyteonJune 17, 1950.

Now, the Municipality of MacArthur, Leyte is composed of 31 barangays.

Geography[edit]

Barangays[edit]

MacArthur is politically subdivided into 31 barangays. ^[5] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate[edit]

Demographics[edit]

In the 2020 census, the population of MacArthur, Leyte, was 21,578 people,^[3] with a density of 370 inhabitants per square kilometre or 960 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy[edit]

Poverty incidence of MacArthur

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System