Barangay Nalihugan

Classified as a very small barangay, Barangay Nalihugan is one of the administrative divisions of Gandara in Samar, Eastern Visayas, Philippines.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Nalihugan had a population of 321. This made it the 47th largest of 69 barangays in Gandara by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Nalihugan accounted for approximately 0.91% of the total population of Gandara, which stood at 35,242 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 293 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 321 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +9.6%, consistent with a growing settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Nalihugan 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 Nalihugan, 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 Nalihugan ranks 710th 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.

The barangay's legislative and executive affairs are handled by a Punong Barangay and the Sangguniang Barangay, elected nationwide during the Barangay and SK Elections. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, following the synchronized election schedule set by COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.