PALO NEAR TACLOBAN LEYTE PHILIPPINES A THRIVING MUNICIPALITY WITH A STORY TO TELL
INTRODUCTION
I drive from
Dulag to Tacloban City at least twice a week and pass through the Municipality
of Palo. I am familiar with some of the tourist attractions which I will name
later but not all. The feeling I have over the years living in the area is Palo
is quite a thriving community. Also I find foreigners I meet tend to stay in
around Tacloban City and will maybe visit MacArthur Landing
Memorial Park which is in Palo but nothing else. Every town and city in this
world has a story to tell.
I believe people who promote the Tacloban area
could concentrate more on the history of the surrounding areas. I agree there
are tourists who may not be interested in local history but there are also many
who would. This is by no means criticism just advice from my personal thoughts.
The more I research history from Dulag to Tacloban I become very interested and
amazed
The
municipality of Palo is located on the north eastern side of the island of
Leyte. The distance from Tacloban City is approximately 8 miles. (14km)
EARLY HISTORY OF PALO
In the 16th
century even before the Spanish arrived in the Philippines communities were
advancing or looking to settle. In the Palo area some historians believe this
may have happened in the 10th and 13t century after the birth of
Christ
The first
known settlement in this area was the kingdom of Takuranga under King Guban.
Then from the 14th to 16th Centuries came King Pitik. It
was not until 1550 that Palo was named. Palo formally became a town in 1768
with an administration. This is only a brief outline but if you are interested
in additional reading then follow the Wikipedia link at the end of this article.
POPULATION AS OF 2015
According to
the 2015 census Palo has a Population of just over 70, 000 people. The area of
the Palo Municipality is approximately 85 square miles according to Wikipedia
EMPLOYMENT
The
Municipality of Palo is home of many Government Departments, bureaus
and regional offices. So this area one could say is quite a hive of activity. According
to Wikipedia the main income source for most people is the buying and selling
of farm products and the fermentation of local coconut wine called Tuba but I
believe it is more extensive than that. Many tourists come to Palo each year
which is a great income generator but also a significant employer. I also see
many buildings going up since Typhoon Yolanda (International name Haiyan). I am
not sure of the type of business but it sends a signal that investment in this
area is significant
Here is one example. The MacDonald’s just open
recently in Palo is the second in the Tacloban Area since Typhoon Yolanda. The MacDonald’s
is on the main road to Bay Bay but there would have been significant market
potential analyzed before making this decision. Now next door there is a large
area of land fenced off for the construction of a new Shopping Mall. Post Typhoon
Yolanda if you were told of this it may be hard to believe. Business is moving
ahead in Palo, Tacloban and surrounding areas which is great for the young
seeking employment in years to come.
SOME TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
MacArthur Landing Memorial Park
WW 2 Memorial for Philippine Soldiers LINK
ACCOMMODATION
One of the upmarket hotels (resorts) is located in
Palo not too far from MacArthur
Landing Memorial Palo Oriental . You could actually walk there. I stayed at
this hotel before Typhoon Yolanda and found the rooms and everything first
class. ORIENTAL LEYTE
The hotel stayed in ruins for some time but now is open. Passing while
driving to Tacloban it appears business is going well. I wish them all the best
and I must point out there is no advertising fee, only my thoughts. Below is
link to the trip advisor. This gives a cross section of guest’s opinion and the
forum I use most of the time.
If you are on a budget there are a number of
pension houses in the Palo area. For foreigners I describe a pension house as a
budget motel style of accommodation.
POPE FRANCIS VISIT
The Pope arrived in Tacloban January 2015 to meet
Typhoon Yolanda Victims. I am not Catholic but thought this was a great thing
to do.
The Pope met with Priests and met families of Typhoon Yolanda Survivors at the Palo Cathedral
FINAL THOUGHTS
My first message is welcome to the Tacloban area.
Life is about options and knowing what interests you have and what is available.
The rest is up to you. If you require any additional information you can
contact me on my email. There is no charge just wanting to help and promote
this great part of the Philippines.
Have a Great Day from
Robbie in and around Tacloban
You can follow me on Twitter @robertmva
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo,_Leyte
https://www.rappler.com/specials/pope-francis-ph/81097-pope-francis-leyte-yolanda-victims
PICTURES - WILL BE UPDATED SOON
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