San Antonio

San Antonio, Northern Samar is a fifth-class island municipality also known as Dalupiri Island, covering 2,750 hectares across 10 barangays with a population of 8,882. Situated at the south end of the San Bernardino Strait and the west end of Samar Island, the island's history traces back to settlers from Cebu and Bohol who originally called it Sugod-sugod, later Dalupiri, and officially San Antonio in 1904 after its patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua, leading most of its population to speak Cebuano. Renowned as the most visited summer destination in the province, San Antonio features a 27-kilometer stretch of white sand beaches surrounding the island, resorts with co-working spaces for corporate retreats, the manmade Lagbangan Lake encircled by mangrove forests, and the Pilar Sanctuary at its southernmost tip. The town celebrates its fishing culture annually from June 9th to 12th during the Manoglaya Festival – derived from mano nga paraglaya (fishermen using net) – and offers a serene, low-traffic environment navigated mainly by motorcycles and foot-powered tricycles (padyak) along its 25-kilometer circumferential road.