Jaro Leyte – A History

Historical Background

In the latter part of the of the 18th century, the sitio of the Municipality of Jaro was a vast unexplored wilderness. During the era, pirates used to come to Leyte to capture Visayans to be sold as slaves. The Moros had superior arms that the Visayans could do no other alternatives but to flee to the mountains.

Incidentally, there were two Visayans who rose into fame because of the gallantry in the field of battle. These two were noted for their “talisman”. Whenever they were informed of Moro attack, they used to lead the encounter. These two valiant men, Bonsilao from Ormoc and Sinirangan from Dagami, because so famous that even the Moros used to withdraw their forces whenever they heard of the presence of these people.

Bonsilao and Sinirangan later built their resting place on a hill, called Sagca – the hill where the Catholic church of Jaro now stands. The Visayans then seeking protection, flock to this resting place of Bonsilao and Sinirangan and built their huts around the hill. The barrio of Salug was then born. It was called Salug, as it was located near the bank of Cabayungan River[ Salug - a visayan term for river]. Salug became a new barrio of the Municipality of Barugo. The fertile soil surrounding the barrio favored gradual growth of the barrio and later on, it became a “Visita”. Visita for the parish priest of Barugo visits the barrio to hold holy masses and to baptize the inhabitants.

Subsequently, the inhabitants of barrio Salug found a running well at the foot of the hill, the water of which was believed to be medicinal. There was a tree whose roots were leading to the middle of the well. These roots were locally called “Haro” and was used for medicinal purposes.

This famous well became a stepping stone for the expansion of the barrio Salug. People flocking to this medicinal well. Whenever people were asked on where they were going, they would used to say they were going to “Haro”. Thus, began the name of “Haro” for the barrio of Salug.

When the barrio of Salug became a municipality in 1810, it was named Haro and later on the Spaniards change the spelling, making the letter [H] into [J] and became “Jaro”.