About Tacloban

March 7th, 2008

About Tacloban

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Short Brief History about Tacloban City

Long time ago Tacloban was used to be called as “Kankabatok” which means “Kabatok’s domain”. it was known to be the first inhabitant of . He settled in an area near to the place where Sto Niño Church now stands. Following him were other people named Gumoda, Harangin, and Huraw forming a small colony still in the name of Kankabatok. Dating back the late 1600s, Kankabatok’s control was shifted to the political administration of Palo, Leyte, but part of the parish of Basey, Samar. The Agustinian Mission then discovered the place in 1770 and then followed by the Franciscans in 1813. During that discovery, Kankabatok changed its name to Tacloban.

Tacloban came from the word Taklub,which means a bamboo contraption that is used by fishermen to catch fish, crabs, or shrimps. Tarakluban is the term used by fisherman which refers to the place they use Taklubs to gather marine resources.

Tacloban is also known as a Waray speaking city. The language is also officially called Lineyte-Samarnon (“Leyte-Samarnon”). A decade before the end of the Spanish sovereignty, the place was dominantly a typical colonial community. Most of its residents were either pure Iberian families or the new generations of Spanish-Filipino blood. Today’s population consists of a healthy mix of Spanish and Chinese mestizos, foreign expatriates and the native Leyteños. Tacloban then became a city through R. A. No. 760 on June 20, 1952 and implemented on June 12, 1953. It was realized under the sponsorship of Daniel Z. Romualdez. He was a representative of the first district of Leyte. Today, we can say that Tacloban is a Class “A” component city. Tacloban City is politically subdivided into 138 barangays.. Around 14 are located outside Tacloban.

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Old Map of Tacloban City