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PROVINCIAL PROFILE OF NORTHERN SAMAR
FAST FACTS
Capital : Catarman
Area : 3,498 sq. km
Population : 382,830
Cities : none
No. of Towns : 24
Click Here To View The
List Of Towns.
LOCATION
Northern Samar occupies the entire northern portion of Samar
Island on the
eastern edge of the Philippine archipelago. It is bounded on the
north by the
San Bernardino Strait, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the
west by the
Samar Sea, and on the south by the province of Samar.
THE LAND
The province has extensive lowland areas along the coast and up
the valleys
of the Catarman, Catubig, and Palapag rivers. The remaining
portion is very
rugged terrain that becomes rolling and mountainous towards the
interior. The
province has no distinct dry and wet seasons but rainfall is
pronounced from
October to January.
A BRIEF HISTORY
The San Bernardino Strait was along the route of the Spanish
galleons that
plied between Manila and Acapulco during Spanish times. A royal
port was
established in Palapag. Here, the richly-laden galleons were
protected from
unfavorable winds and stormy seas. In 1649, shipbuilders were
drafted from
Palapag to the Cavite shipyards to build galleons and other
vessels. The same
year, the recruits led by Sumuroy waged revolt which signaled a
general
uprising against Spain in the Visayas to quell the rebellion.
Later in 1898, when the Americans landed on the beach of
Catarman, the
local revolutionary army fought the cannons and rifles of the
invaders with
only bolos and homemade guns. Although deferred, they continued
to harass
the American forces through guerrilla warfare. Republic Act No.
4221, passed
on June 19, 1965, created the provinces of Northern Samar,
Eastern Samar,
and Western Samar out of Samar Island.
THE PEOPLE
Like the rest of Samar, the people here speak the Waray dialect.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Of the farm lands devoted to agriculture, coconut has the largest
area,
followed by rice, corn, abaca, and other subsistence crops. The
province.
however, is considered a "food-deficient" area as it
has a shortage not only of
rice but also fruits, vegetables, and legumes. The three bodies
of water that
bound Northern Samar are major fishing grounds. Cottage
industries include
furniture-making, ceramics, metalcraft, garments, food
processing, and related
crafts. Catarman is the commercial center and a port from where
abaca is
shipped.
Information gathered from:
League of
Provinces
by:Roberto C. Arellano
This page last revised:February 01, 1999.
