By Prof. Rolando O. Borrinaga, Ph.D.
Origin
During the early Spanish era, what is now called Biliran
Island was known as Isla de Panamao. The term refers to an ethnic
fishing net. The present name, believed to be adopted sometime between
the late 1600s and the early 1700s, was, according to many publications,
derived from a native grass called borobiliran which once grew
abundantly on the island's plains. A contending theory states that the
name came from the word bilir, which was defined in an old Visayan
dictionary to be the “corner or edge of a boat, vase or anything
protruding, like veins, or the furrow made by the plow.” The dictionary
also gives biliran as an alternate spelling for bilir. This theory is
supported by the fact that Biliran was site of the first large-scale
shipyard, built in the 1600s. Galleons were built to support the Galleon
trade between Manila and Acapulco in Mexico.
The first town, named Biliran, was founded in 1712. During
this time, the island was a part of the province of Cebu. Biliran,
together with the islands of Samar and Leyte were constituted into a
separate province in 1735. Later when Samar and Leyte were split into
two provinces in 1768, Biliran became part of Leyte.
Guerrilla forces
During the World War II, Biliran had its own guerrilla
forces under the Leyte command of Colonel Ruperto Kangleon. The
guerrilla operation where of invaluable assistance to the successful
landing of the American liberation forces at Palo, Leyte, on October 20,
1944 just before the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Landed to the Filipino soldiers liberated in Biliran
In 1945 liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces
landed in Biliran with the local guerrilla forces by the attack of the
Japanese troops from the island during the Battle of Biliran.
Moro raids
In May 1735, representative inhabitants of Leyte petitioned
Governor General Fernando Valdes y Tamon to allow them to resettle
Biliran Island. They claimed it had been abandoned for the past 50 years
and was presently inhabited by bagamundos (vagabonds) due to the
frequent Moro raids.
On 26 May 1754, the Moros destroyed the pueblos of Biliran
in Leyte and Catbalogan in Samar. Panamao was reportedly razed to the
ground and only the gobernadorcillo of Biliran pueblo escaped capture by
the raiders. The settlements of Biliran, Caybiran, Mapuyo and Maripipi
were also destroyed by the Moros.
The Moros staged their attack by marching inland along a
river in the province named Anas for a distance of 1.5-2 leguas
(leagues). Having covered part of the interior around a mountain, they
managed to capture the inhabitants, with the exception of the
gobernadorcillo who had escaped. The houses and property of the natives
were burned or destroyed. The church building suffered the same fate and
its valuables were taken away by the raiders.
Post Moro invasion
When the Moro raiders has been neutralized in the early
19th century, the local inhabitants went into the business of organizing
new pueblos (also known as town) in the present geography of Biliran
Province.
The inhabitants of Biliran Island petitioned for pueblo and
parish status as early as 1712. The first parish priest was assigned in
1765 but its parish status was apparently withdrawn because of Padre
Gaspar‘s apostasy. The parish was re-established on February 22, 1782.
In 1828, Caibiran on the east became an independent pueblo and parish, the second to be created in Biliran Island.
Naval became the third town, and it was carved out of the
territory of Biliran town. It initially became a separate parish in
1860. The Spanish colonial government officially recognized its pueblo
status on 23 September 1869, the petition for which was apparently
submitted around 1861.
Almeria became a separate town in 1886 and was named after a town in Spain of the same name.
Maripipi used to be a barrio of Naval. It was officially
inaugurated as a town in 1867, two years ahead of its mother town, then
folded up and was reduced into a barrio of Almeria, and then became a
town again in 1899. Maripipi and the new towns of San Clemente (later
Kawayan), Culaba and Esperanza (later Cabucgayan) were created around
1899 by the revolutionary government under Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo.
Conversion
On April 8, 1959 Republic Act No. 2141 was signed into law
effectively making Biliran a sub-province of Leyte. The island was only
made an independent province on May 11, 1992 by virtue of Republic Act
No. 7160, making it one of the newest provinces in the country.
http://www.biliranisland.com/history.php