Biliran, officially the Province of Biliran (Waray-Waray: Probinsya han Biliran; ; ), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region (Region VIII). Biliran is one of the country's smallest and newest provinces. Formerly a sub-province of Leyte, it became an independent province in 1992.
Biliran lies less than a kilometer north of the island of Leyte. A bridge-causeway fixed link over Poro Island in the gateway town of Biliran connects the province to Leyte. Its capital is the municipality of Naval on the western coast of the island which is the most populous in the province.
Etymology
During the early Spanish era, Biliran Island was called Isla de Panamao. The present name, believed to be adopted sometime between the late 17th century and the early 18th century, was, according to many publications, derived from a type grass called borobiliran that grew abundantly on the island's plains. However, 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 (astillero), built in the 17th century to service the Manila Galleons.
History
Spanish colonial period
The first town, named Biliran, was founded in 1712 under the jurisdiction of Cebu, after petitioning for a municipality and parish status. Biliran island, 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 Province as its sub-province. The first parish priest, Gaspar Ignacio de Guevara, was assigned in 1765, but its parish status was apparently withdrawn because of Padre Gaspar's apostasy.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.