Northern Samar (Filipino:Hilagang Samar) is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catarman and is located at the northern portion of the island of Samar. Bordering the province to the south are the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar. To the northwest, across the San Bernardino Strait is Sorsogon; to the east is the Philippine Sea and to the west is Samar Sea
Most people speak Norte Samarnon, a variation of Waray-Waray, though Cebuano is also widely understood, being spoken in the municipality of San Isidro and the island municipalities of San Antonio and San Vicente. A third language Inabaknon is spoken in the island of Capul.
Norte Samarnon usually is further subclassified into Balicuatro, Central and Pacific speakers.
Northern Samar is where the Sumuroy Rebellion of 1649-1650 led by the Waray hero Juan Ponce Sumuroy first began. One of the trusted co conspirators of Sumuroy, David Dula y Goiti, sustained the Filipino quest for motherland in a greater vigor. He was however wounded in a battle, was captured and later was executed in Palapag, Northern Samar by the Spaniards together with his seven key lieutenants. They were accused of masterminding several attacks on Spanish detachments. The place where David came from was named later as Candawid (Kan David) in Isla De Batag, Laoang, Northern Samar. VENUS RAJ Some of David’s descendants changed their surnames to Dulay to avoid Spanish prosecutions. Some maintained their surname Dula, which up to these days is the source of minor internal frictions among some descendants of David Dula y Goiti in Laoang, Northern Samar accusing each side as “sigbinan”, a native waray folklore which originated in Isla de Batag, which connotes “a family secretly keeping bear-like creatures”, which are being fed with all kinds of meat, sometimes, including flesh of dead Spanish Guardia Civil. Several famous Northern Samarenos are tracing their ancestry among the seven co conspirators executed with David Dula y Goiti in Palapag , Northern Samar.
During the Philippine-American War, the Siege of Catubig was fought in the town of Catubig.
Looking at the map of Samar Island , the Province of Northern Samar looks like the “crown” of the entire island. It is home to the “Ibabaonons” or nortehanons and gateway to the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao. Early on in the Philippines History, this part of Samar was the gateway of the galleon trade between the Philippines and Acapulco, Mexico.
Capul Island due west from San Bernardino Strait, was a stopover for these galleon ships for repairs and replenishment before proceeding to Manila.
The town of Allen serves the same purpose today… a gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao for vehicles coming from Luzon. The Ro-Ro port of Allen operates 24 hours servicing hundreds of vehicles daily.
The outlaying islands of the Province are veritable tourist havens, indeed a perfect hide-away! Isla Capul, with its history… San Antonio and San Vicente Islands with its unique white and “pink” sands, abound in aquatic activities like snorkeling and scuba diving… Biri Island, with its mysterious monolith rock islets handcrafted by nature, standing like a rampart to the golden east… where one can dexprience dinner, lit by candles or moonbeams…
Inland, one can experience a variety of nature’s wonders… grandiose caves, sparkling waterfalls, river cruises that will take you to the heart of Samar’s unique ecosystem. .. mountain towns that seems to transport you to another time and dimension… farmlands lush with coconuts and tropical plants… Yes, every town of Northern Samar has something to offer a visitor… willing to be surprised at every turn.
