San Juan, officially the Municipality of San Juan (Kabalian: Lungsod san San Juan; ; ), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 14,912 people. It was formerly known as Cabali-an. The Kabalian language, a Visayan language distinct from Waray-Waray and Cebuano, is spoken in San Juan.

History

There seems to be no consensus on the exact origin of the name Cabali-an. While there are several versions, the most popular one involves Magellan who happened to pass by Cabalian. This account tells of Magellan and his crew attempting to land this settlement after being battered by a heavy storm known locally as “subasco”. One of his ships had a broken main mast that required immediate repair. The curious natives led by their chieftain, Datu Malitik, gathered on the shore as they closely watched the approaching ships. The natives who were armed noticed the broken mast and shouted “gikabali-an”. Roughly translated, the word means “to experience a breakage or broken materials”. Magellan and his men interpreted the hostile-surrounding shouts as the name of the place. Not wishing to engage the natives in combat after the battering of the storm, the explorers lifted anchors and sailed away. Cabalian used to be the largest Leyte town facing the Pacific Ocean until its 19 barrios were excised to form the new municipality of Saint Bernard, by virtue of Executive Order No. 84 signed on December 9, 1954. On June 17, 1961, Republic Act No. 3088, which changed the name Cabali-an to San Juan, was signed into law by President Carlos P. Garcia. However, up to this day, the town is still known as Cabali-an. The name simply refuses to disappear on maps, telecommunication directories and in most people's minds.

Geography

Barangays

San Juan (Cabali-an) is politically subdivided into 18 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Economy

Government

Elected officials

Elected officials (2022-2025):

Communication

Mobile services are serviced by Smart Communications (since 2002), Globe Telecom (since 2004), and Dito Telecommunity (since 2023). Cable television include Fiesta Cable Inc., the first cable TV entirely Pacific Area in the province and is based in the municipality.

Culture

Festival

The town celebrates its rich Catholic heritage every 24th day of June, the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Precursor to Jesus Christ. The "novemdiales" or novena in honor of the patron saint commences every 15th day of June, and is referred to as jornadas. Jornadas in Spanish means "sojourns" or "journeys", which specifically refer to the translation of the patron saints of all barangays to kiosks or minuscule chapels outside the baroque parish church. In addition to the eighteen patron saints of the 18 barangays of Cabalian, more come from the hill villages of Hinunangan. They remain in those chapels until the 24th day of June, called the kahuyugan, whence they are processed around the town in andas and carrozas. The fiesta spans for three (3) days: (1) disperas (Sp. vísperas) which falls on the 23rd day of June, coinciding with the Vespers for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist in the Divine Office; (2) kahuyugan (lit. the day on which the fiesta falls) on the 24th of June, coinciding with the main celebrations; and (3) liwas (lit. post-fiesta) on the 25th day of June, when the remaining victuals are served to fiesta-goers who want to avoid the fiesta traffic and hullabaloo. The novena is said in the parish church. Preserving the incorruptible tradition of Visayan Catholic identity, the long Gozos in honor of St. John is sung. The tradition of the gozos goes back to the august cathedrals of Spain and Portugal. The structure of the gozos follows the usual format of the Spanish gozos: an estribillo (couplet) repeated after every estrofa (verse). Although, the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist was traditionally not celebrated with water dousing, sometime in 2000, the LGU launched the Sinabligay Festival, which translates as Water Dousing Festival. The LGU has passed ordinances prohibiting the use of dirty water during this Festival. Amongst the activities included in the Town and Patronal Fiesta are the following