Barangay Hiparayan

Situated in Gandara, Samar, Barangay Hiparayan is one of 69 barangays that make up the municipality within Eastern Visayas.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Hiparayan had a population of 609. This made it the 20th largest of 69 barangays in Gandara by population, placing it in the upper half of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Hiparayan accounted for approximately 1.73% of the total population of Gandara, which stood at 35,242 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Hiparayan moving from 426 residents to 609 residents, an intercensal change of +43.0%. The trajectory indicates a growing community. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Hiparayan 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 Hiparayan, 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 Hiparayan ranks 448th 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 Hiparayan 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.