Barangay San Rafael

Barangay San Rafael forms part of Hinabangan, a municipality in Samar, and is classified as a small barangay.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay San Rafael had a population of 576. This made it the 8th largest of 21 barangays in Hinabangan by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay San Rafael accounted for approximately 4.21% of the total population of Hinabangan, which stood at 13,693 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay San Rafael changed from 680 to 576, a shift of -15.3% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with contracting populations in Hinabangan. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay San Rafael as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Hinabangan is a municipality comprising 21 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay San Rafael, 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 San Rafael ranks 467th 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 San Rafael 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.