Country Philippines Barangays ZIP code 6529 Local time Friday 4:18 PM Dialling code 53 | District 2nd district of Leyte Time zone PST (UTC+8) Area 117.9 km² Province Leyte | |
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Region Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) Weather 29°C, Wind NE at 14 km/h, 62% Humidity | ||
Carigara is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 51,345 people.
Contents
Map of Carigara, Leyte, Philippines
It is a town in northern Leyte located right on the shore of Carigara Bay, and surrounded by wide rice fields fanning out towards the mountains in the distance.
Barangays
Carigara is politically subdivided into 49 barangays.
History
Carigara was originally called Kangara, meaning "that of Gara" or simply "Gara's". Gara was said to have come from Borneo, one of the unnamed companions of the ten datus who landed in Panay and purchased that island from the Ati (or Aeta) chief Marikudo. Later, for phonetic convenience, Kangara became Kalgara and when the Spaniards came, they called the place Carigara; hence its present name.
Carigara has a history unique from its neighboring towns. It is the first town established in Eastern Visayas. Its town fiesta which is celebrated every 16 July, commemorates the day of the first coming of the Spaniards dated July 16, 1569. The fiesta that is celebrated almost the entire month of July was dubbed as the Fiesta of the Holy Cross.