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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Libanan leads move to create new Samar Island Region

Libanan leads move to create new Samar Island Region

Published Oct 5, 2025 01:19 pm

At A Glance

  • For six Samarnons in the House of Representatives, it's now time for a new Samar Island Region (SIR) to rise amd make its mark.
Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan (Facebook)
Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan (Facebook)


For six Samarnons in the House of Representatives, it's now time for a new Samar Island Region (SIR) to rise amd make its mark.
The group--led by Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan-- jointly filed House Bill (HB) No. 4218 in a bid to carve out Samar Island as a distinct administrative region, separate from Eastern Visayas.
They see the move as key to unlocking the island’s long-stalled growth and development.
Once enacted, the SIR will become the country’s 19th administrative region, bringing national government presence directly to Samar’s more than 1.9 million residents.
Joining Libanan are Eastern Samar lone district Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, Samar et district Rep. Stephen James Tan, Samar 2nd district Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan, Northern Samar 1st district Rep. Niko Raul Daza, and Northern Samar 2nd district Rep. Edwin Marino Ongchuan.
“This is not just an administrative measure — this is a matter of justice. For centuries, Samar has been left behind despite its enormous potential,” Libanan said.
“The [SIR] will finally allow Samarnons to oversee their own development, with government truly within reach of our people,” added the veteran legislator in the current 20th Congress.
The country’s third-largest island, Samar is composed of the three provinces of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Samar (formerly Western Samar).
Despite its rich natural resources, vast coastlines, and proud history, the island has long suffered from neglect, with residents often forced to travel to Tacloban City in neighboring Leyte province to access basic national government services.
The bill’s authors stressed that establishing the SIR would bring government closer to the people, enable faster delivery of services, and provide the institutional focus needed to spur rapid infrastructure development, economic growth, and jobs creation.
The measure also underscores Samar’s deep historical significance, being the site of Magellan’s first landfall in the Philippines and home to historic uprisings against Spanish and American colonizers.
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