Barangay Himamaloto

Barangay Himamaloto is a very small barangay in the municipality of Gandara, located in the province of Samar, in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Himamaloto had a population of 124. This made it the 67th largest of 69 barangays in Gandara by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Himamaloto accounted for approximately 0.35% of the total population of Gandara, which stood at 35,242 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Himamaloto moving from 175 residents to 124 residents, an intercensal change of -29.1%. The trajectory indicates a contracting community. Barangay Himamaloto is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Gandara is a municipality comprising 69 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Himamaloto, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Samar, which contains 951 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Himamaloto ranks 928th by 2020 population. Samar is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Himamaloto is led by an elected Punong Barangay (barangay captain) supported by seven Sangguniang Barangay members (kagawads), an SK Chairperson, a Barangay Secretary, and a Barangay Treasurer. The next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, with officials serving four-year terms under Republic Act No. 12232.