Baybay

Baybay
City of Baybay
Immaculate Conception Church
Motto: 
Our City. Our Home. Our Future
Map of Leyte with Baybay highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Baybay
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°41′N 124°48′E / 10.68°N 124.8°E / 10.68; 124.8
CountryPhilippines
RegionEastern Visayas
ProvinceLeyte
District 5th district
Founded1620
Chartered1910
CityhoodJune 16, 2007 (Lost cityhood in 2008 and 2010)
Affirmed CityhoodFebruary 15, 2011
Barangays92 (see Barangays)
Government
  TypeSangguniang Panlungsod
  MayorJose Carlos L. Cari
  Vice MayorErnesto M. Butawan
  RepresentativeCarl Nicolas C. Cari
  City Council
List
  Electorate69,525 voters (2025)
Area
  Total
459.30 km2 (177.34 sq mi)
Elevation
147 m (482 ft)
Highest elevation
1,313 m (4,308 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
  Total
111,848
  Households
28,135
DemonymBaybayanon
Economy
  Income class1st city income class
  Poverty incidence
26.02
% (2021)
  Revenue1,503 million (2022)
  Assets5,281 million (2022)
  Expenditure900.6 million (2022)
Service provider
  ElectricityLeyte 4 Electric Cooperative (LEYECO 4)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6521
PSGC
IDD:area code+63(0)53
Native languagesBaybay
Cebuano
Tagalog
Websitebaybaycity.gov.ph

Baybay (IPA: [baɪ'baɪ]), officially the City of Baybay (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Baybay; Waray: Syudad han Baybay), is a component city in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It has a population of 111,848 people.

With an area of 45,934 hectares (460 km2; 180 sq mi), it is the second largest city in the province after Ormoc. Formerly, Baybay was the biggest town in Leyte in terms of population and second in terms of land area, after Abuyog. The Baybay language, a Visayan language distinct from both Waray and Cebuano, is spoken in the city itself.

Baybay houses a major port on the central west coast of Leyte, where ferries leave for and from Cebu and other islands. It has also the Baybay Public Terminal, serving routes from Tacloban, Ormoc, Maasin, Manila, Davao City, and other towns in Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Samar.

Generally an agricultural city, the common means of livelihood are farming and fishing. Some are engaged in hunting and in forestal activities. The most common crops grown are rice, corn, abaca, root crops, fruits, and vegetables. Various cottage industries can also be found in Baybay such as bamboo and rattan craft, ceramics, dress-making, fiber craft, food preservation, mat weaving, metal craft, and Philippine furniture manufacturing and other related activities.

It is the home of the Visayas State University, one of the leading schools in Southeast Asia on agricultural research, and was called as "Resort University."