THE AFTERMATH OF MAGELLAN’S EXPEDITION IN 1521 RESULTED IN NOT ONLY THE EXPANSION OF SPANISH COLONIZATION, BUT THE INTRODUCTION TO ONE OF THE MAIN REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. THE VISAYAS REGION IS ONE OF THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC LAND DIVISIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES ALONGSIDE BOTH MINDANAO AND LUZON. THIS REGION INCLUDES ISLANDS SUCH AS CEBU, BOHOL, NEGROS, PANAY, SAMAR, LEYTE AS WELL AS THE PROVINCES OF PALAWAN, ROMBLON, AND MASBATE. WITH A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-ONE MILLION INDIVIDUALS, THE AREA OF VISAYAS IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS: WESTERN VISAYAS, CENTRAL VISAYAS, AND EASTERN VISAYAS DUE TO THE DIVISION OF THE NEGROS, ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ISLANDS IN THE VISAYAS. THE VISAYAS ENCAPSULATES OTHER FILIPINO DIALECTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FORMERLY INTRODUCED AS THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE VISAYAS PRIMARILY SPEAK ILLONGGO AND HILIGAYNON.
