Founded January 7, 1875
History of Lavezares
From a coastal pueblo in the Spanish era to the heart-shaped municipality of Northern Samar.
About Lavezares
A heart traced on the map, a name taken from a wild pigeon, and a story that starts before the Spanish arrived.
“The heart of Northern Samar.”
Lavezares is no ordinary municipality. When viewed from above, its boundaries trace the outline of a heart, a fitting shape for a town whose people are known for their warmth and deep faith. This unique geography earned Lavezares its enduring tagline and sets it apart from every other municipality in the Philippines.
Origin of the Name
Lavezares was named after Guido De Lavezares, the second Spanish governor-general in the Philippines. Long before the Spanish arrival, the place was called Pinonayan, derived from the ponay, a lovely wild pigeon that once hovered abundantly over the area.
According to local folklore, a man had just come from gathering ponay when a passing Spaniard asked him the name of the place. Believing he was being asked what was inside his basket, which was filled with ponay, the man answered “ponay.” The Spaniard assumed that was the name of the place, and so it became known as Ponay, or Pinonayan.
Source: Rodel C. Cuyco, History of Lavezares
Through the Years
Five moments, oldest first, from the forests the ponay flew over to the port that carries visitors to Biri.
- 1Pre-1875
Originally Pinonayan
Before Spanish colonization, the area was known as Pinonayan, named after the ponay, a wild pigeon once abundant in these forests. The town was later renamed after Governor-General Guido De Lavezares.
- 21875
Town Founded
Lavezares was established on January 7, 1875 by virtue of a decree from the Spanish Governor-General, officially separating it from neighboring municipalities.
- 31900s
The American Period
Under American administration, Lavezares was organized into a modern municipality with a formal local government structure, public schools, and infrastructure development.
- 42005
Pinonayan Festival Born
The town established the Pinonayan Festival to honor the Santo Niño and celebrate its cultural identity and main industries: rice, copra, abaca, and fishing.
- 5Today
Gateway to Biri Island
Lavezares has grown into a thriving municipality of 26 barangays and ~29,587 people, recognized as the primary jump-off point to Biri Island and a rising eco-tourism destination.