GENERAL SANTOS ARCHIVE

heritage

EDUARDO LEYSON

A self-made man, Mr. Eduardo Leyson came to Buayan with only P10 to his name. And, he had to pay for his boat ride of P4.00, With only P6.00 left, he worked as stevedore carrying on his young shoulders sacks of copra and corn (mais) to earn about P20.00.

A farmer from Talamban, Cebu. He read in the Free Press news item about NLSA and set sail to answer General Santos ‘s call “Go South Young Man”

Arriving in the Lagao Settlement District, he applied for a job at the NLSA but was denied. But it did not stop nor discourage the young Eduardo.

For his persistence, he became an “errand boy” to the General and eventually learned to “tic” the typewriter using only one (1) of two fingers. As the saying goes “pag may tiyaga, may nilaga. Eduardo was finally hired as property custodian delivering good and items to NLSA commissaries or stores in the Koronadal and Allah valleys.

After the war in 1950, he was awarded a pasture land in Nopol, now known as Leyson Park, Nopol Hills. In 1969, he was elected as Vice Mayor of the City of General Santos. A hard-working person, devoted family man and a disciplinarian according to his son, Ed Leyson IV.  Who will not be? He raised 10 children with wife HermelaniaDacillo, 6 boys and 4 girls. 

Per tradition, the boys has Eduardo as their first names (which up to this day being practiced). “Kasi pagwalangEduardo, walang lechon baka.”