Tacloban City (March 13) -- The entire province of Eastern Samar will celebrated the Magellan Landing at Homonhon Island in the municipality of Guiuan on March 16, 2008 with a mass, a re-enactment and program, Guiuan Mayor Analiza Kwan disclosed.

Mayor Kwan said that the commemorative program will be held at the Landing site with all the 8 barangays in Homonhon Island and 1 barangay of Suluan participating. A Barrio Fiesta will follow, Mayor Kwan said.

The observance of the anniversary of Magellan Landing will start today, March 13, Mayor Kwan said, with the opening of Exhibits at the Guiuan Plaza. The exhibit is an array of the best products of Guiuan and the various municipalities of Eastern Samar.

On March 15, a Medical and Dental Mission will be conducted at Homonhon, Mayor Kwan quipped. Other activities are the Search for Miss Homonhon and other cultural activities.

Finally, on March 16, the activities will start with the offering of the Holy Mass and will be followed by a re-enactment of Magellan Landing and the commemorative program.

Eastern Samar had been a significant backdrop of the country's rich colonial history through the island of Homonhon, where Ferdinand Magellan first set foot on Philippine soil in 1521 on his way to conquer the Philippines for the western world.

In his account, Pigafetta, the chronicler aboard Magellan's ship, describes the island of Humumu, now Homonhon, as so: "We found two fountains of very clear water, we called it the 'Waters of Good Signs,' having found the first sign of gold in the said island. There also can be found much white coral and tall trees that bear fruits smaller than an almond and look like pines. There were also many palm trees, some of the good kind, some of the bad. Thereabouts are many neighboring islands. Hence, we called them the St. Lazarus Archipelago because we stayed there on the day and feast of St. Lazarus." (PIA 8)