Hernani, Eastern Samar

Hernani, officially the Municipality of Hernani (Waray: Bungto han Hernani; Tagalog: Bayan ng Hernani), is a municipality in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,531 people.^[5]

Hernani
Municipality
Municipality of Hernani
Map of Eastern Samar with Hernani highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Hernani Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 11°19′26″N 125°37′05″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Province	Eastern Samar
District	Lone district
Founded	January 4, 1864
Barangays	13 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Amado D. Candido
• Vice Mayor	Cesar G. Tagon Jr.
• Representative	Maria Fe R. Abunda
• Councilors	List • Imelyn B. Montero • Cesar G. Tagon • Leo B. Candido • Renato C. Orocay • Julie C. Habagat • Roderick B. Dequilla • Jose P. Antipolo • Marcial B. Baje DILG Masterlist of Officials
• Electorate	7,047 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	49.42 km2 (19.08 sq mi)
Elevation	31 m (102 ft)
Highest elevation	276 m (906 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	8,296
• Households	2,264
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	38.68 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 104.2 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 234.7 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 82.96 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 29.39 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative (ESAMELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6804
PSGC	0802610000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)55
Native languages	Waray Tagalog
Website	hernani-esamar.gov.ph

It was formerly called Nag-as, after the name of the river flowing southeast of the town center.^[6]

History

Hernani was founded around the year 1850 by a settler from Guiuan named Miguel Candido. Hernani, was created into a municipality by virtue of a Royal Order on January 4, 1864.

On October 12, 1897, giant tidal waves struck Hernani. More than 300 people were killed, and public buildings and houses were destroyed, including the newly–built stone church. Following the disaster, the survivors relocated the town center to a more secure place about one–half kilometer inland. This site is now the present location.

Immediately following the Philippine-American War, the political status of Hernani was reduced into a barrio under the jurisdiction of Lanang (now Llorente). In 1912, its status as a municipality was restored but the seat of local government was transferred to Pambujan (now General MacArthur). However, in 1926, the municipality of Hernani regained back the township by virtue of an Executive Order issued by then American Government–General Leonard Wood.

Barangays

Hernani is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. ^[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Four barangays, located in the poblacion, are known primarily by number.

• Barangay 1
• Barangay 2
• Barangay 3
• Barangay 4
• Batang
• Nagaja
• Padang
• Carmen
• Garawon
• San Isidro
• Canciledes
• San Miguel
• Cacatmonan

Demographics

Population census of Hernani

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	4,150	—
1918	5,253	+1.58%
1939	9,405	+2.81%
1948	5,035	−6.71%
1960	6,622	+2.31%
1970	6,216	−0.63%
1975	7,315	+3.32%
1980	7,032	−0.79%
1990	6,840	−0.28%
1995	8,055	+3.11%
2000	7,642	−1.12%
2007	7,974	+0.59%
2010	8,070	+0.44%
2015	8,573	+1.16%
2020	8,531	−0.10%
2024	8,296	−0.67%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11][12]

The population of Hernani in the 2020 census was 8,531 people,^[13] with a density of 170 inhabitants per square kilometre or 440 inhabitants per square mile.

Climate

Climate data for Hernani, Eastern Samar
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	29 (84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	90 (3.5)	67 (2.6)	82 (3.2)	70 (2.8)	97 (3.8)	145 (5.7)	152 (6.0)	127 (5.0)	132 (5.2)	152 (6.0)	169 (6.7)	144 (5.7)	1,427 (56.2)
Average rainy days	17.0	13.5	16.0	16.5	20.6	24.3	26.0	25.4	25.2	26.4	23.0	21.1	255
Source: Meteoblue[14]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Hernani

10 20 30 40 50 60 2000 54.50 2003 42.35 2006 42.30 2009 48.74 2012 52.66 2015 43.38 2018 49.66 2021 38.68 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]