Flag Size: | 120x80px | ||
Seal Size: | 100x80px | ||
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Pushpin Map: | Philippines | ||
Pushpin Label Position: | right | ||
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the | ||
Subdivision Type: | Country | ||
Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||
Subdivision Type2: | Province | ||
Subdivision Type3: | District | ||
Established Title: | Founded | ||
Parts Type: | Barangays | ||
Parts Style: | para | ||
P1: | (see Barangays) | ||
Leader Name: | Atty. Dana Flynch R. de Lira | ||
Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||
Leader Name1: | Danny Virgil B. Ablay | ||
Leader Name2: | Maria Fe R. Abunda | ||
Leader Title3: | Councilors | ||
Leader Name4: | voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|) | ||
Elevation Max M: | 281 | ||
Elevation Min M: | 0 | ||
Population Density Km2: | auto | ||
Population Blank1 Title: | Households | ||
Timezone: | PST | ||
Utc Offset: | +8 | ||
Postal Code Type: | ZIP code | ||
Demographics Type1: | Economy | ||
Demographics1 Title2: | Poverty incidence | ||
Demographics1 Info2: | % | ||
Demographics1 Title3: | Revenue | ||
Demographics1 Title4: | Revenue rank | ||
Demographics1 Title5: | Assets | ||
Demographics1 Title6: | Assets rank | ||
Demographics1 Title7: | IRA | ||
Demographics1 Title8: | IRA rank | ||
Demographics1 Title9: | Expenditure | ||
Demographics1 Title10: | Liabilities | ||
Demographics Type2: | Service provider | ||
Demographics2 Title1: | Electricity | ||
Demographics2 Title2: | Water | ||
Demographics2 Title3: | Telecommunications | ||
Demographics2 Title4: | Cable TV | ||
Blank1 Name Sec1: | Native languages | ||
Blank2 Name Sec1: | Crime index | ||
Blank1 Name Sec2: | Major religions | ||
Blank2 Name Sec2: | Feast date | ||
Blank3 Name Sec2: | Catholic diocese | ||
Blank4 Name Sec2: | Patron saint |
Balangiga (IPA: [ˌbalaŋˈhɪga]), officially the Municipality of Balangiga (Waray: Bungto han Balangiga; Tagalog: Bayan ng Balangiga), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 14,341 people.
Balangiga is the site of the Balangiga Encounter in 1901, which remains one of the longest-running and most controversial issues of the Philippine–American War.
During the Philippine-American War, on September 28, 1901, Eugenio Daza, Area Commander of Southeastern Samar and Valeriano Abanador, the Balangiga's pulahan chief, launched an attack on U.S. Army Company C 9th Infantry Regiment who were occupying Balangiga. With Philippine Revolutionary Army forces and Balangiga villagers, killing 48 and wounding 22 of the 78 men of the unit, with only four escaping unhurt and four missing in action. The villagers captured about 100 rifles and 25,000 rounds of ammunition. An estimated 20 to 25 of them died in the fighting, with a similar number of wounded.[1]
In reprisal, General Jacob H. Smith ordered that Samar be turned into a "howling wilderness" and that they shoot any Filipino male above ten years of age[1] who was capable of bearing arms. The American soldiers seized three church bells including Bangahon Church bell of old Gandara and from the town church Balangiga and moved them home to the United States as war trophies. The 9th Infantry Regiment maintained that the single bell in their possession was presented to the regiment by villagers when the unit left Balangiga on 9 April 1902. The bell had been actually given to them by the 11th Infantry Regiment, which had taken all three bells when they left Balangiga for Tacloban on 18 October 1901.[2]
Smith and his primary subordinate, Major Littleton Waller of the United States Marine Corps, were both court-martialled for illegal vengeance against the civilian population of Samar. Waller was acquitted of the charges. Smith was found guilty, admonished and retired from service, but charges were dropped shortly after. He was later hailed as a war hero.[3]
The bells were returned on December 11, 2018.[4]
Balangiga is located on the southern coast of the island of Samar facing Leyte Gulf, and sits at the mouth of the Balangiga River. To the west lies the municipality of Lawaan, to the north is Llorente, and to the east are the municipalities of Quinapondan and Giporlos.
Balangiga is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Balangiga, Eastern Samar, was 14,341 people, with a density of NaNPD/km2NaNPD/km2.
Balangiga can be reached through public utility vans and buses from Tacloban City. Pedicabs (potpot), tricycles, and habal-habal by the means of inner town transportation.
Balangiga has 9 public elementary schools, namely:
Has 1 public secondary school:
Has 1 private secondary school:
The municipalities of Lawaan, Giporlos, and Quinapondan were former barangays of the municipality of Balangiga.