Santo Niño, officially the Municipality of Santo Niño (; ; ), is a municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 13,088 people.
Formerly known as Limbancauayan, it consists of the northern island of Camandag and the larger Santo Niño Island about to the south. In between those two islands is the smaller Pilar Island."Pilar Island, Santo Niño, Philippines". Google Maps. Retrieved on 2013-11-10. The municipality's poblacion (town center) is located in Santo Niño Island.
History This town has an ancient Bisayan name Limbankawayan which derived from the word limba meaning red and kawayan means bamboo thus a red colored bamboo (phyllostachys iridescens) which is abundant during those days.
It was separated from Calbayog and made a pueblo and a parish by a Royal Decree of September 29, 1898. The Bishop of Cebu had recommended in 1895 that it achieve parish status, though final approval and confirmation was not relayed from Madrid through Manila until the year 1897.
Geography Santo Niño consists of three islands: Santo Niño Island, Camandag Island and Pilar Island. These islands are located in the Samar Sea about south-west of Calbayog on the main island of Samar.
Santo Niño Island The larger Santo Niño Island is about north-west of Maripipi, Biliran province with an area of about . Both islands are volcanic in origin with Santo Niño having the highest elevation in the municipality at .U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (1954). "Bogo (topographical map)". University of Austin Library. Retrieved on 2013-11-11.
Camandag Island The circular Camandag Island is located north of Santo Niño Island, about shore to shore. It has area of about with an elevation of .Fabian, Galwin (2013-09-19). "Camandag Island in Samar". Intrepid Wanderer. Retrieved on 2013-11-11.
Pilar Island The smallest island of the municipality is located off north-west of Santo Niño Island and about south-west of Camandag Island. Pilar Island has an elevation of .U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (1919). "United States Coast Pilot, Philippine Islands, Part 1", pg. 205. Government Printing Office, Washington.
Barangays Santo Niño is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. + Barangay Location Balatguti Camandag Island Baras Santo Niño Island Basud (Poblacion) Santo Niño Island Buenavista Santo Niño Island Cabunga-an Santo Niño Island Corocawayan Camandag Island Ilijan Santo Niño Island Ilo (Poblacion) Santo Niño Island Lobelobe Camandag Island Pinanangnan Camandag Island Sevilla Camandag Island Takut Santo Niño Island Villahermosa Camandag Island
Climate
Demographics
Economy
Transportation There are no airports on the islands of Santo Niño and Camandag. The islands are reached by boats from the Port of Calbayog.Fabian, Galwin (2013-09-21). "Santo Niño Island in Samar". Intrepid Wanderer. Retrieved on 2013-11-11.
See also List of islands of the Philippines
References
External links Santo Niño Profile at PhilAtlas.com [ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information Local Governance Performance Management System