Limasawa was the second island (after
Suluan) of the Philippines that the
Magellan Expedition landed on.
Antonio Pigafetta documented the island as "Mazaua". He described it as being inhabited with cultivated fields. In March 28, 1521 the Magellan Expedition met with two rulers, Rajah Colambu and Rahah Siaui, of the
Rajahnate of Butuan and "Calagan" (
Caraga), which Pigafetta misidentified as islands. The rulers were on a hunting expedition on Limasawa (which were under their domain) with two
balangay ships. The rulers entertained Magellan's crew with feasting for a few days. Afterwards, Father Pedro de Valderrama performed the
first mass in the Philippines on
Easter Sunday (March 31, 1521). Magellan also climbed the highest elevation in Limasawa and erected a cross before leaving for "Zubu" (
Cebu). At the request of the residents of the island of Limasawa, the six
barangays that comprise that island were detached and separated from the municipality of
Padre Burgos through Presidential Decree No. 1549, signed by then President
Ferdinand Marcos on June 11, 1978, with the effort of the Late Guillermo trigo Urag, and constituted as the Municipality of Limasawa. Limasawa completely became a municipality on August 27, 1989, after then President
Corazon Aquino ordered the plebiscite which its residents voted in favor of the creation. The island, also known as Limasawa Island, is located south of
Leyte, in the Mindanao or
Bohol Sea. It is about long from north to south and is the smallest municipality in the province, in both area and population. ==Geography==