# Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte

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

## Etymology

Saint Bernard is named after Bernardo Torres, the former Governor of Leyte who played a significant role in the town's independence from Cabalian (now San Juan), then in the undivided province of Leyte. In gratitude to Torres, the local inhabitants unanimously chose to name the municipality in his honor. The honorific title "Saint" being a translation of the Spanish 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.

## History

Saint Bernard traces its roots to the largest barrio of Cabalian, then known as "Himatagon".
Governor Bernardo Torres of Leyte, which then encompassed Cabalian, facilitated the conversion of the area into an independent municipality due to the persistent demands of the local inhabitants for separation from Cabalian, later gaining the recommendation of the Leyte Provincial Board. Finally, on December 9, 1954, President Ramon Magsaysay issued Executive Order No. 84, excising Himatagon and 18 other barrios from Cabalian to form the municipality of Saint Bernard. On May 22, 1959, Saint Bernard became part of the newly established province of Southern Leyte, effective July 1, 1960.
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 Magbagacay.
| Barangay | Population (2020) |
| Atuyan | 467 |
| Ayahag | 417 |
| Bantawon | 228 |
| Bolodbolod | 1,275 |
| Carnaga | 923 |
| Catmon | 2,548 |
| Guinsaugon | 47 |
| Himatagon (Poblacion) | 1,748 |
| Himbangan | 2,661 |
| Himos-onan | 702 |
| Hinabian | 99 |
| Hindag-an | 1,605 |
| Kauswagan | 28 |
| Libas | 411 |
| Lipanto | 1,276 |
| Magatas | 88 |
| Magbagacay | 2,441 |
| Mahayag | 662 |
| Mahayahay | 1,701 |
| Malibago | 1,557 |
| Malinao | 42 |
| Maria Asuncion (Cabagawan) | 1,264 |
| Nueva Esperanza (Cabac-an) | 107 |
| Panian | 1,335 |
| San Isidro | 1,953 |
| Santa Cruz | 313 |
| Sug-angon | 382 |
| Tabon-tabon | 312 |
| Tambis Uno | 882 |
| Tambis Dos | 940 |

### Climate

Climate data for Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27 (81) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 21 (70) | 21 (70) | 21 (70) | 22 (72) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 78 (3.1) | 57 (2.2) | 84 (3.3) | 79 (3.1) | 118 (4.6) | 181 (7.1) | 178 (7.0) | 169 (6.7) | 172 (6.8) | 180 (7.1) | 174 (6.9) | 128 (5.0) | 1,598 (62.9) |
| Average rainy days | 16.7 | 13.8 | 17.3 | 18.5 | 23.2 | 26.5 | 27.1 | 26.0 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 24.6 | 21.0 | 268.6 |
| Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1960 | 11,621 | — |
| 1970 | 17,296 | +4.05% |
| 1975 | 19,255 | +2.18% |
| 1980 | 19,153 | −0.11% |
| 1990 | 20,760 | +0.81% |
| 1995 | 21,363 | +0.54% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2000 | 23,089 | +1.68% |
| 2007 | 25,252 | +1.24% |
| 2010 | 25,169 | −0.12% |
| 2015 | 28,395 | +2.32% |
| 2020 | 28,414 | +0.01% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority :

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Saint Bernard
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 2000 41.40
* 2003 36.30
* 2006 34.00
* 2009 42.73
* 2012 39.49
* 2015 40.24
* 2018 25.48
* 2021 29.18
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
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 Port of Saint Bernard reopened on March 15, 2025. The only shipping company that operates in the Port of Saint Bernard is GT Express Shipping Corp. with its GT1/Star Asia vessels new route via Saint Bernard–Lipata, Surigao (vice-versa) daily schedule.
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-located in Brgy. Tambis 1, Saint Bernard Southern Leyte
* Himbangan National High School - located in Brgy. Himbangan, Saint Bernard Southern Leyte
* Cristo Rey Regional High School - the only diocesan and private school in Saint Bernard
* New Guinsaugon National High School - relocation area of New Guinsaugon, Brgy.Guinsaugon
* Catmon Integrated School - located in Brgy.Catmon Saint Bernard Southern Leyte