Las Navas, officially the Municipality of Las Navas (; ), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Northern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 36,621 people.
Etymology
Before the reversion of the municipality to a mere barrio, a certain Spanish Colonel of the Spanish Armed Forces by the name of De Las Navas explored the northern part of Samar. He sailed with his men upstream Catubig River and reached a place called "Binongtu-an". The people warmly met him as a high-ranking Official of the Spanish Armed Forces with full respect and high regard to the Government.
In his visit to the place, he changed the name "Binongtu-an" to Las Navas in his honor and serve as a reminder that a prominent Spanish Army arrived and reached the place. The people accepted Las Navas as its official name.
History
During the Spanish regime, one of the municipalities that was recognized as a town is Las Navas, formerly known as "Bungto" (meaning town). Upon recognition, a Parochial Church was constructed with a Parochial Priest as head of the town.
Towards the end of the 18th century, a band of Moro pirates sailed to the river and reached the town. There, the inhabitants were robbed and the town was burned. Afraid that the pirates would return again, the people abandoned the town for a period of time.
After several months, the people returned to the place and retrieved all that were left by the fire. They constructed their homes and reestablished the town and the seat of the government. As soon as the municipality was reestablished and the community was stabilized, the populace and leaders unanimously agreed to change the town's name from "Bungto" (Town) to "Binongtu–an" to emphasize and commemorate that the place was once a thriving town, was abandoned because of Moro pirates' assault, and was resettled after sometime.
A research on the history of Las Navas revealed documents from the National Archives, "Errecion de los Pueblos Samar 1786-1898, Pueblos de Catubig y Binungtuan Tomo", Exp. 9, pol. 149–197. Exepediente promovido en 1832 sobre la erreccion de la visita de Binungtuan en pueblo civil independiente de su matriz Catubig en la prov de Samar, Manila, 20 de Dissiembre de 1848.
Geography
Las Navas is situated in the heart of Samar Island, lying along the Las Navas River (formerly Catubig River). It comprises a wide lowlands between hills now known as the Catubig Valley. The Las Navas river is wide and big enough that small tonnage or motored vessels can easily sail to the source of the river. It is bounded on the north by Catubig, on the east by Jipapad, Eastern Samar, on the west by Silvino Lubos, and on the south by the municipality of Matuguinao and San Jose de Buan, Western Samar (Samar).
The municipality has a total land area of . Most of this land is devoted to agricultural production and the rest are forest reserves. Its soil is predominantly silt and clay loam with fine texture and high water retention. This soil type is fertile and suitable for lowland rice but needs water drainage for upland crops.
Bodies of water
Rivers, brooks, creeks can be found practically when hiking from one place to another and traversed by the Las Navas River (formerly Catubig river). The Las Navas River (formerly Catubig River) is considered the main river, compared to Hinaga River and Hagbay River.
Climate
Barangays
Las Navas is politically subdivided into 53 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Balugo
Bugay
Bugtosan
Bukid
Bulao
Caputoan
Catoto-ogan
Cuenco
Dapdap
Del Pilar
Dolores
Epaw
Geguinta
Geracdo (also known as F. Robis) Guyo H. Jolejole District (Poblacion) Hangi Imelda L. Empon Lakandula Lumala-og Lourdes Mabini Macarthur Magsaysay Matelarag Osmeña Paco Palanas Perez Poponton Quezon Quirino Quirino District (Poblacion) Rebong Rizal Roxas Rufino Sag-od San Andres San Antonio San Fernando San Francisco San Isidro San Jorge San Jose San Miguel Santo Tomas Tagab-Iran Tagan-ayan Taylor Victory H. Jolejole
Demographics
Language
Generally, the people speak Waray-Waray language as a common dialect, while English and Pilipino is used only as medium of instructions in schools and other types of communications.