Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte

Saint Bernard, officially the Municipality of Saint Bernard (Kabalian: Lungsod san Saint Bernard; Lungsod sa Saint Bernard; Bayan ng Saint Bernard), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 28,414 people.

History


This town was formerly the largest barrio of San Juan, then known as "Himatagon". On December 9, 1954, President Ramon Magsaysay issued Executive Order No. 84, transforming the barrio as a municipality of Saint Bernard. It was through the efforts of Leyte Governor Bernardo Torres that the conversion was made possible in response to the lingering clamour of the inhabitants for an independent and separate municipality from San Juan. As a gratitude to Governor Bernardo Torres, the people unanimously renamed Himatagon as Saint Bernard, with the honorific title "Saint" being a translation of the vernacular honorific "San" which is given to persons of virtue, wisdom, or generosity and the name Bernard being the English version of the name Bernardo.

On February 17, 2006, a tragic series of mudslides killed over 1,100 residents in Barangay Guinsaugon, a barangay in the northern parts of the town. Affected families were treated by the Philippine government and other non-government organizations from all over the world. New houses were built, and the people chose "New Guinsaugon" as the name, (by adding the prefix "New"), of their village located one mile east of the town's proper.

Geography
The town is situated on the Pacific coast, facing Cabalian Bay and the first town on Route 690 (from it towards Abuyog) from the eastern side of Sogod Bay.

Barangays
Saint Bernard is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Only 28 barangays are currently functioning, as Guinsaugon and Sug-angon were completely wiped out from a landslide during 2006. The survivors of the landslide were relocated to New Guinsaugon in Brgy. Magbagacay.

Economy
Saint Bernard's economy are based in agriculture and marine culture. The municipality is considered among the fastest growing economy in the pacific area of Southern Leyte.

Saint Bernard is a peninsula and therefore it is almost entirely surrounded by water. The majority of the people who live in the flat lands engage in fishing as their main mode of livelihood. Those who live in the mountain barangays, live through farming.

The common mode of transportation is by bicycles with side cars, known locally as "Potpot" (a type of pedicab) or, depending on the distance, tricycles with side cars, called "trisikads "or center cabs and "habal-habal", a motorcycle with a roof made up of wood or metal, operating in the area's environs.

The LGU established the Saint Bernard Town Center for economic activities of some small to medium sedium entrepreneurs.

Tourism

 * Hindag-an Falls- Barangay Hindag-an
 * Tinago Beach- Barangay Magbagacay
 * Tinago Spring Falls- Barangay Ayahag
 * Lipanto Marine Sanctuary- Barangay Lipanto
 * Himbangan Bird Sanctuary- Barangay Himbangan
 * Sangat Cave and Beach- Barangay Hindag-an
 * Saub Beach- Barangay Lipanto
 * Ground Zero Memorial Park & Lawigan River- Lawigan River, access at Brgy Tambis I
 * Libas River- Barangay Libas
 * Kissbone Cove and Resort- Barangay Magbagacay
 * Santo Nino Shrine - Sitio Cansi, Barangay Himatagon
 * Municipal Disaster Management Office - LGU Compound, Municipal Building, Barangay Himatagon

Education
There are accessible elementary schools in every Barangay in the municipality as of its 2019 census.

List of Secondary Schools in the Municipality of Saint Bernard.


 * Tambis National High School- Barangay Tambis 1
 * Himbangan National High School- Barangay Himbangan
 * Cristo Rey Regional High School- Barangay Malibago. The only diocesain and private school in the area.
 * New Guinsaugon National High School - relocation area of New Guinsaugon, Barangay Magbagacay