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The picturesque town of Palo is located twelve kilometers from the City of Tacloban. It was twice Leyte's capital and is full of traditions. The center of Catholicism, it is where the Leyte bishop resides, being the seat of the Diocese.

The town's historic significance lies in the fact that on October 20, 1944, Gen. Douglas MacArthur who led the allied liberators, waded ashore on Red Beach, Candahug, fulfilling his promise to the Filipino people when he said, "I shall return."

The origin of the name Palo is related in several versions. One of them states that the name is derived from the mast of ships (mast in the dialect is palo) which in the past sailed in its waters and fish-laden shores. It is also believed that the name is derived from the mallet (palu) for this place in the past had many carpenters.

Another version by Justice Norberto Romualdez in his book says that this town was frequently visited by typhoons "as often as every eight days, (walo-walo). Later, the term walo became corrupted into Palo.

The last version is about an incident, which led to the naming of the town: During the Spanish times, a certain Spanish captain befriended beautiful lass in this settlement. Because of her beauty, the Spanish captain was captivated, leading to his visiting her often in her home.

In one of his visits, when the captain was with some of his soldiers, an insect fell on the head of the lady. The members of her family shouted, "Atitipalo!" Atitipalo is a certain specie of centipede. The captain inquired what it meant. Since he could not pronounce the whole word, he just pronounced the last syllable - palo. This was what was imprinted in the minds of the captain and his men when they left.

The history of Palo states that originally the settlement was a cluster of huts along the Bunga River in San Juaquin, at present a barrio of Palo. The first settlers were the families of Panganurun, Kadampug, Manlangit, Kumago, Kawaring, Kumagang, Bilyu and Dilyu. These ancient families were the ancestors of the present inhabitants of Palo, who later on transferred to the banks of the Bangon River, which ultimately became the present site of the municipality of Palo. Father Pedro Chirino was the first missionary to take notice of this thriving municipality.

A historical landmark in Palo is the Cathedral which was built in 1596 by Fr. Alonso de Humanes, a Jesuit who came to the place when the sitio had only two houses, who spread the gospel of Christ, baptized natives, taught the children to read and write, pray the rosary, sing church hymns or play the flute. It is stated that Fr. Humanes died in Loboc, Bohol but his remains are interred in the Novaliches seminary of the Jesuits after it was exhumed from Bohol.

On October 15, 1595, Fr. Cristobal Ximenez became the permanent "cura" of the settlement. The flute-playing Fr. Humanes had already baptized some natives, but the great task of bringing together the straggling groups into a pueblo fell upon the shoulders of Fr. Ximenez. He succeeded in bringing together these different groups which was later followed by total conversion of pagan die-hards to the Catholic Faith. By 1600, Palo had become a central missionary station with jurisdiction over the missions of Dagami, Malaguicay, Malirong, and Banayon. At the time Palo was only a barrio of Dagami. It was also during this era that Palo became the capital of Leyte when the seat of the provincial government was temporarily transferred from Carigara. In 1899, Palo, for the second time, was made capital of the province during the short lived Philippine Republic. In the later part of 1768, when Palo was made a distinct municipality from Dagami, the Jesuit Order left the Philippines and the Mission was handed over to the Franciscans.

Palo's greatest benefactor, Fr. Pantaleon de la Fuente stands out among these Franciscans. He built the two symmetrical towers of the cathedral, repaired and reconstructed it as well as the convent, installed the big clock that strikes the hours and half hours made by Jose de Altonaga of Intramuros in 1892, hanging glass chandeliers, candelabras, gold chalices, church vestments of braided gold and sacramentals all adding magnificence to an otherwise ordinary provincial church. Of noble Spanish descent, the benefactor of Palo from Madrid left the town he loved to escape to Paraguay at the outbreak of war in 1898. A street in Palo immortalizes his name.

The Palo cathedral has been rebuilt twice - in years prior to 1897 after destruction by fire and typhoon, and later in 1897 when a big typhoon unroofed the church, destroyed the convent and other houses in the town. Other notable Franciscans who stayed in Palo were: Fr. Sebastian Almonacid (whose grave is inside the church - 1882-1885); Fr. Juan Perez (1858-1861); Fr. Florentino Garcia (1879-1882); Fr, Gil Martinez (1186-1887) and Fr. De la Fuente (1887-1898). The years in parenthesis indicate their stay in Palo.

Palo Cathedral was used as a site for holding a Leyte-Samar holy synod in 1910 when Leyte and Samar clergy threshed out problems of Catholic dogmas under the presidency of Bishop Pablo Singzon and later in 1935 under the presidency of Bishop Sofronio Hacbang.

Palo convent was the site of the first minor seminary in 1926 under the famed teacher Rev. Fr. Consorcio Poblete. Elementary Latin besides Spanish and other subjects were taught to small boys. A product of this minor seminary is Rev. Fr. Antonio Mate who first studied here.

The Palo Church was created a cathedral on March 27,1938 when Msgr. Guglielmo Piani, apostolic delegate, carried the papal bull from Rome, proclaimed it and erected the diocese of Leyte, designating Palo as its seat and Msgr. Manuel Mascarinas of Bohol its first bishop. Among those who attended this historical event were Archbishop Gabriel Reyes of Cebu, Msgr. James T. Hayed of Cagayan de Misamis, Msgr. Santiago Sancho of Vigan, Msgr. Miguel Acebedo of Calbayog, Msgr. Luis del Rodario of Zamboanga and Msgr. Raymundo Salinas, abbot of the Benedictine order.

Two bronze historical markers from the government-sponsored Philippine Historical Commission of Manila mark the historical role played by Palo Cathedral and Palo convent in the town. These markers are placed at the facade of the Cathedral and the last wing of the Palo convent, residence of Msgr. Lino Gonzaga. Mayor Manuel Acebedo was instrumental in the placing of these markers during his administration. Dr. Eufronio Alip, noted historian, came from Manila to deliver the main address.

Inside the patio of this church, enclosed by walls of Spanish stone and adobe, is an open esplanade where formerly Fr. De la Fuente kept his stall of fast native ponies, a zoological collection of rabbits, turkeys, guinea pigs, a huge python fed with live pullets and a dovecote swarming with white pigeons. This esplanade used to be the people's rendezvous when escaping from marauding moros in the days of the moro piracy centuries ago. It had also a huge well which provided water for drinking during the long months of dry spells. On the aperture on the Spanish walls is an insignia of the Jesuit order, center of attraction of visiting Jesuits when they come to Palo, indicating that the cathedral and the walls therein were originally Jesuit.

In Candahug, now called Red Beach, stands the monument commemorating MacArthur's landing and indicating the exact spot where the American General set foot on Philippine soil on October 20, 1944 to effect the initial momentum of liberation of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese. Beachheads were consequently made by Americans from this place in Mindoro, Lingayan, Aparri and finally in Manila.

Hill 522, near the outskirts of town on the banks of the Bangon River was cannoned and shelled on that fateful day. In its sides are imbedded hundreds of iron shrapnel. This majestic hill is actually Guinhangdan, rich in gravel. However, this Hill 522 as indicated in Army maps. The La Purisima shrine, built on Guinhangdan Hill sometime in 1887 by the Spaniards was to dispel evil spirits which people believed to be the cause of many accidents and deaths on the premises. A steel bridge built by Pacific and Atlantic Gulf Co. of Manila in 1905 replaced the wooden span of the Spanish times.

Another bridge in Palo is the cement and steel Bernard Reed span at the northern approach of the town built by engineers under Gen. B.L. Robinson of the U.S. Army, on Feb. 22,1954. Acting mayor Candido Fornillos delivered the opening address with Gen. Robinson giving the speech of turning it over to the town. Palo is probably the only provincial town that has two cement and steel bridges, over the same river.

Palo has also been noted as the home of the Filipino music. Palo can claim to have produced prominent musicians who produced notable works in the field of music. Among their notable works were Lucero Del Alba, Chaleco Balnco, Viejecita, Colon, La Musica del Porvenir, Coro de Sonoras, Capitan de Lanceros and many others. These are magnificently exhibited during fiestas and other festivals when operas are held honoring prominent guests and church dignitaries.

Palo is also the site of the World Health Organization (WHO) pilot project to control schistosomiases. At its pilot plant, situated at the southern end of the town, doctors and savants from all over the world are daily delving into microscopes to find a way to control this dreaded disease called snail fever.

Another noteworthy industrial plant in Palo is the Philippine Consolidated Coconut Industries producing pure desiccated copra of the milk-white variety.

This town was formerly the site of the operating plant of the National Development Company producing narra sets, chairs, beds and other articles.

Palo, too, has a competent maternity hospital, the biggest in Leyte, financed with government funds consisting of a structure of two stories, where the Palo Puericulture Center installs its offices, clinics and wards under the RVM sisters headed by a nun who used to be a registered nurse, Mother Margarita Viaco, RVM.

A high school building was also inaugurated by the RVM sisters, the St. Mary of Palo.

This town has several active organizations, the GIANTS, managed to give improvements to the town. Other organization are the Knights of Columbus, Palo Literary Educational Society, the Catholic Women's League and others.