Barangay Santo Niño

Situated in Villareal, Samar, Barangay Santo Niño is one of 38 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 Santo Niño had a population of 797. This made it the 12th largest of 38 barangays in Villareal by population, placing it in the upper half of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Santo Niño accounted for approximately 2.91% of the total population of Villareal, which stood at 27,394 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 758 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 797 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +5.1%, consistent with a growing settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Santo Niño as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Villareal is a municipality comprising 38 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Santo Niño, 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 Santo Niño ranks 315th 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 Santo Niño 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.