Balyuan Ampitheater, is a performing arts venue and concert hall inside Balyuan Park facing the Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City, Leyte.
I went here at around 9:30 a.m. on July 18, 2013. This was during my first time in Leyte, the 21st province on my list.
The location of the amphitheater is called Balyuan, a Waray word that means “a place or market for exchange or trade,” because this historic place is where the Balyuan Rites (the exchange of the two images of the Santo Niño between the people of Basey and Tacloban) are held every year.
Balyuan Amphitheater is also the venue of the popular Sangyaw Festival that is held every 29th of June during the feast of Santo Niño de Tacloban, the patron saint of the city.
History
The site of the amphitheater today was once the home of Balyuan Tower, a landmark that attracts many tourists and local residents because of its historic value. According to the people in the city, Balyuan Tower was used as a lighthouse to observe if there are any dangers or threats coming to the city and it also served as an aid to navigation.
How to go to Balyuan Amphitheater
Balyuan Park where the amphitheater is located lies near the southern end of Magsaysay Boulevard and to the southeast of Tacloban City Hall. If you’re coming from Real and Justice Romualdez Streets, it’s approximately a short 5-minute walk.