Leyte town to develop 'Hill 522' into 'all-in' destination

PALO, Leyte, Sept. 8  – The local government unit here is poised to make one of its historical and religious sites to be a prime tourist destination in Leyte province.

The Guinhangdan Hill, found in Purisima village here, is an important landmark.

Commonly called as Hill 522, the site offers a panoramic view of the town and Leyte Gulf where American Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed on October 20, 1944.

Town Mayor Remedios Petilla said on Thursday they have set their sites in making the hill into a religious, tourism and historical site “rolled into one.”

Guinhangdan Hill is a favorite pilgrimage site during Holy Week where thousands of Roman Catholic devotees in Leyte climb the 522 steps leading to the cross to offer candles and flowers.

During the observance of Holy Week this year, at least 30,000 pilgrims were noted to have climbed the hill on Good Friday alone.

Petilla said the hill has historical contributions as it served as the first entrance to the liberated town of Palo in 1944.

The existence of a garrison, she said, which was built by the Japanese artillery units, is one of the good reasons to visit the area.

The hill was also a site of fierce battles, which cost the lives of about 50 Japanese soldiers and at least three American soldiers.

Petilla said plans to enlarge the La Purisima Shrine ensconced at the foot of the hill is also being put into place. The shrine was constructed in 1887 by the Spaniards to dispel evil spirits, which people believed to be the cause of many accidents and deaths on the premises.

“With many pilgrims coming in to visit not just during the Holy Week, we need to enlarge the area where people light candles and say prayers before going up the hill,” Petilla added.

As for the white cross on top of the Guinhangdan Hill, the mayor said it will not be replaced but will instead be improved. The local government earned flak early this year when it reportedly said to replace the more than 50-year-old cross, which has both historical and cultural significance.

Improvements of the nearby surroundings on the top of the hill are included in the plans for tourists to enjoy “picnic style” as the hill provides a scenic view of the Leyte Gulf, with the southwestern part of Samar Island across the sea, and the northeastern part of Leyte.

There is also a planned expansion of stairs to accommodate the volume of pilgrims and tourists expected to climb the site. Sufficient lightings will also be built to lit the whole area and ensure security during at night.

Meanwhile, the mayor said that informal settlers still living at the foot of the hill will “definitely have to be relocated” once development of the whole site starts. The settlers will be transferred to the various housing units being built by the local government. (ACR/PNA)