Hinunangan

Last updated
Hinunangan
Municipality
Municipality of Hinunangan
Hinunangan Aerials September 2024.jpg
Aerial view of Hinunangan
Flag of Hinunangan, Southern Leyte.png
Flag
Ph seal hinunangan, southern leyte.png
Seal
Motto: 
Rice Granary of Southern Leyte
Ph locator southern leyte hinunangan.png
Map of Southern Leyte with Hinunangan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Hinunangan
Philippines location map (square).svg
Red pog.svg
Hinunangan
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°24′N125°12′E / 10.4°N 125.2°E / 10.4; 125.2
CountryPhilippines
Region Eastern Visayas
Province Southern Leyte
District 2nd district
Barangays 40 (see Barangays)
Government
  [1]
 • Type Sangguniang Bayan
 •  Mayor Reynaldo C. Fernandez (PDPLBN)
 •  Vice Mayor Marian D. Pelin (PDPLBN)
 •  Representative Christopherson M. Yap
 •  Municipal Council
Members
  • Ymard Joseph T. Tocmo
  • Gary L. Comeling
  • Elmer E. Jumangit
  • Ryan M. Fernandez
  • Junwil P. Dy
  • Gezar S. Ngoho
  • Socorro C. Alas
  • Dennis C. Pagpaguitan
 •  Electorate 22,008 voters (2025)
Area
[2]
 • Total
170.58 km2 (65.86 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
4.8 m (15.7 ft)
Highest elevation
401 m (1,316 ft)
Lowest elevation
−1 m (−3 ft)
Population
 (2024 census) [4]
 • Total
30,384
 • Density180/km2 (460/sq mi)
 •  Households
7,402
Economy
 •  Income class 3rd municipal income class
 •  Poverty incidence
21.94
% (2021) [5]
 •  Revenue ₱ 195.4 million (2022)
 •  Assets ₱ 380.6 million (2022)
 •  Expenditure ₱ 158 million (2022)
 •  Liabilities ₱ 125.4 million (2022)
Service provider
 • ElectricitySouthern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO)
Time zone UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6608
PSGC
0806403000
IDD  :  area code  +63 (0)53
Native languages Boholano dialect
Cebuano
Tagalog

Hinunangan, officially the Municipality of Hinunangan (Kabalian: Lungsod san Hinunangan; Cebuano : Lungsod sa Hinunangan; Tagalog : Bayan ng Hinunangan), is a municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,149 people. [6]

Contents

Hinunangan is known as the "Rice Granary of the Province" for its vast plain land that is entirely planted with rice. Hinunangan has great potential for tourism because of its beautiful sandy beaches and islands. The town is also a producer of rattan and wood-based furniture, abaca handicraft items, pineapple, vegetables, other forest products, and bamboo furniture. It has a potential for mineral water and root crop processing and copper mining. [7]

Hinunangan is also known as a major gateway in Leyte because of its near proximity to Tacloban City. The opening of Abuyog–Silago Road cuts travel time from Tacloban by half from the previous 6 hours to less than 3 hours. It is also the place in Southern Leyte with the most immigrants from Europe and North America.

It has a lot of tourist places, such as Tahusan, Talisay, or the twin islands (known as Cabugan Grande and Cabugan Chico as Pigafetta stated in his account during their travel with Magellan).[ citation needed ]. There are also hotels, inns, a public market, and beach resorts.

History

Hinunangan, originally known as Hononganan (meaning "resting place"), has a history dating back to 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan recorded its sighting during his voyage through Leyte Gulf. By 1750, the area had become a midway trading station for Boholano merchants trading in Eastern Leyte. These traders would moor their boats and rest overnight at the mouth of the Das-ay River, where they built a shelter known as a "hononganan" or stopover, which later became the town’s namesake.

In 1822, Palonoy, a Boholano settler, formally established Hinunangan as a permanent settlement. At the time, Silago (north) and Hinundayan and Anahawan (south) were part of Hinunangan’s territory. The town later became a mission station under Abuyog, with Fray Pedro Monasterio arriving in 1850. Due to difficulty pronouncing "Hononganan," he began referring to it as "Hinunangan", a name that became official.

The Hinunangan Parish was formally established on March 26, 1851, with Fray Pedro as its first parish priest. In 1853, Palonoy donated land for the construction of Hinunangan Church, which was built using hardwood, reflecting the town’s strong religious foundations. The Municipal Building and Parochial House were initially built from nipa, signifying the greater importance given to religious structures over government institutions at the time.

By 1886, Hinunangan had a population of 5,140 and 1,338 taxpayers, with rice, abaca, corn, and coconut as its main agricultural products. The town also had a community-supported primary school under Fray Pedro’s guidance. Over time, Silago, Hinundayan, and Anahawan became independent parishes and later separate municipalities.

Hinunangan also played a role in World War II history. In 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf—the largest naval battle in history—a blocking warship of the Allied Liberation forces engaged the Japanese fleet near Hinunangan, marking the area as a significant frontier in Philippine and global history.

Today, Hinunangan remains a historic coastal town with deep cultural and religious roots, shaped by centuries of trade, colonization, and war. [8] [9]

2007 earthquake

On July 19, 2007, a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Hinunangan, causing an estimated ₱1.65 million in damages—₱790,000 to government infrastructure and ₱860,000 to private properties.

Public damage included the water system (₱500,000), Das-ay Bridge railguard (₱100,000), and several schools, while private losses affected the Roman Catholic bell tower (₱100,000), Catholic convent water tank (₱40,000), chapels, homes (₱400,000), and appliances (₱290,000). The disaster impacted key facilities, but recovery efforts followed soon after. [10]

Geography

Hinunangan is home to the highest mountain in the province, Mount Nacolod, with an elevation of 948 metres (3,110 ft) above sea level. [11]

Barangays

Hinunangan is politically subdivided into 40 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

There are two of which are island barangays located at the east of the town. The twin islands are accessible by motorized boats through Barangay Canipa-an.

BarangayPopulation
(2007)		Population
(2010)		Population
(2015)		Population
(2020)
Ambacon637Steady2.svg637Increase2.svg678Decrease2.svg615
Badiangon647Decrease2.svg589Increase2.svg641Increase2.svg681
Bangcas A668Increase2.svg743Increase2.svg777Increase2.svg862
Bangcas B903Increase2.svg959Increase2.svg982Decrease2.svg913
Biasong609Decrease2.svg566Increase2.svg599Increase2.svg652
Bugho961Increase2.svg1,003Increase2.svg1,061Increase2.svg1,147
Calag-itan1,167Increase2.svg1,180Increase2.svg1,206Decrease2.svg1,163
Calayugan678Increase2.svg700Increase2.svg754Increase2.svg866
Calinao317Decrease2.svg264Decrease2.svg261Decrease2.svg218
Canipaan1,425Increase2.svg1,509Increase2.svg1,635Decrease2.svg1,611
Catublian1,373Increase2.svg1,503Increase2.svg1,580Decrease2.svg1,445
Ilaya520Decrease2.svg472Increase2.svg518Decrease2.svg457
Ingan923Increase2.svg1,018Increase2.svg1,049Decrease2.svg937
Labrador800Increase2.svg802Increase2.svg844Decrease2.svg745
Libas463Decrease2.svg449Increase2.svg512Decrease2.svg431
Lumbog363Decrease2.svg337Increase2.svg381Decrease2.svg334
Manalog700Increase2.svg731Increase2.svg754Increase2.svg781
Manlico745Increase2.svg752Increase2.svg766Decrease2.svg701
Matin-ao506Increase2.svg520Increase2.svg547Increase2.svg551
Nava1,798Increase2.svg1,801Increase2.svg1,946Decrease2.svg1,924
Nueva Esperanza651Increase2.svg664Increase2.svg683Increase2.svg724
Otama543Increase2.svg593Decrease2.svg531Decrease2.svg504
Palongpong405Increase2.svg475Increase2.svg533Decrease2.svg488
Panalaron588Increase2.svg677Increase2.svg753Increase2.svg790
Patong706Increase2.svg710Increase2.svg718Increase2.svg735
Poblacion799Increase2.svg898Increase2.svg923Decrease2.svg638
Pondol957Increase2.svg993Increase2.svg1,035Decrease2.svg989
Salog349Increase2.svg353Increase2.svg374Decrease2.svg368
Salvacion519Decrease2.svg483Increase2.svg496Decrease2.svg483
San Pablo Island427Increase2.svg440Increase2.svg460Decrease2.svg445
San Pedro Island473Increase2.svg486Increase2.svg493Decrease2.svg459
Santo Niño I559Decrease2.svg524Increase2.svg552Decrease2.svg513
Santo Niño II946Increase2.svg1,004Increase2.svg1,043Increase2.svg1,096
Tahusan920Increase2.svg960Increase2.svg991Increase2.svg1,080
Talisay553Increase2.svg597Increase2.svg693Decrease2.svg663
Tawog486Increase2.svg523Increase2.svg557Increase2.svg594
Toptop434Decrease2.svg419Increase2.svg443Decrease2.svg411
Tuburan600Increase2.svg627Increase2.svg635Decrease2.svg587
Union397Decrease2.svg378Increase2.svg402Increase2.svg404
Upper Bantawon197Decrease2.svg162Increase2.svg170Decrease2.svg144

Climate

Climate data for Hinunangan, Southern Leyte
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)28
(82)		29
(84)		29
(84)		30
(86)		30
(86)		30
(86)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)22
(72)		22
(72)		22
(72)		23
(73)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		24
(75)		24
(75)		23
(73)		24
(75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)78
(3.1)		57
(2.2)		84
(3.3)		79
(3.1)		118
(4.6)		181
(7.1)		178
(7.0)		169
(6.7)		172
(6.8)		180
(7.1)		174
(6.9)		128
(5.0)		1,598
(62.9)
Average rainy days16.713.817.318.523.226.527.126.026.427.524.621.0268.6
Source: Meteoblue [12]

Demographics

Population census of Hinunangan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 8,574—    
1918 11,491+1.97%
1939 16,983+1.88%
1948 17,556+0.37%
1960 12,665−2.68%
1970 16,142+2.45%
1975 18,648+2.94%
1980 20,568+1.98%
1990 22,454+0.88%
1995 22,170−0.24%
2000 25,016+2.62%
2007 27,712+1.42%
2010 28,415+0.92%
2015 29,976+1.02%
2020 29,149−0.59%
2024 30,384+1.00%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [13] [14] [15] [16]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Hinunangan

10
20
30
40
50
2000
35.15
2003
28.89
2006
27.60
2009
37.58
2012
33.81
2015
40.19
2018
25.21
2021
21.94

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]

Banking and Finance

Education

Primary schools

Secondary schools

Tertiary Schools

Others

Healthcare

Communication

Mobile:

Cable television:

Internet:

Skyline of Hinunangan from San Pablo Island.jpg
Hinunangan Skyline and Hinunangan Bay from San Pablo Island.

References

  1. ↑   Municipality of Hinunangan | (DILG)
  2. ↑ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ https://www.philatlas.com/visayas/r08/southern-leyte/hinunangan.html.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  5. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Local Government Unit". Archived from the original on 2006-05-21. Retrieved 2008-11-05., Southern Leyte LGU website
  8. ↑ Hinunangan History, Hinunangan.net
  9. ↑ Hinunangan Southern Leyte Town Profile] https://southernleyte.gov.ph/hinunangan/hinunangan-history/
  10. ↑ Hinunangan MDCC bares earthquake partial damage assessment report Archived 2021-05-02 at the Wayback Machine , Philippine Information Agency
  11. ↑ Archived 2008-11-18 at the Wayback Machine , NSCB Southern Leyte Profile
  12. ↑ "Hinunangan, Southern Leyte : Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  13. ↑ Census of Population (2015). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. ↑ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  16. ↑ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  19. ↑ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  20. ↑ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  21. ↑ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  23. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  25. ↑ PNB_Domestic_Branch_Directory
  26. ↑ TESDA Hinunangan Skills and Technological Center [ permanent dead link ]
  27. ↑ Smart increases coverage in remote, rural areas
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