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.[3]
It was formerly called Nag-as, after the name of the river flowing southeast of the town center.[5]
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.[6] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Four barangays, located in the poblacion, are known primarily by number.
The population of Hernani in the 2020 census was 8,531 people,[3] with a density of 170 inhabitants per square kilometre or 440 inhabitants per square mile.
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