Hinunangan, officially the Municipality of Hinunangan (Kabalian: Lungsod san Hinunangan; ; ), is a municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 30,384 people.
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 townâÂÂs 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 HinunanganâÂÂs 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 townâÂÂs 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 PedroâÂÂs 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 GulfâÂÂthe largest naval battle in historyâÂÂa 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.
On July 19, 2007, a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Hinunangan, causing an estimated â±1.65 million in damagesâÂÂâ±790,000 to government infrastructure and â±860,000 to private properties.
Public damage included the water system (â±500,000), Das-ay Bridge railguard (â±100,000), and several schools, while private losses affected the Roman Catholic bell tower (â±100,000), Catholic convent water tank (â±40,000), chapels, homes (â±400,000), and appliances (â±290,000). The disaster impacted key facilities, but recovery efforts followed soon after.
Hinunangan is home to the highest mountain in the province, Mount Nacolod, with an elevation of above sea level.
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.
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