Villareal, Samar

What was called Umauas existed in 1768 as a pueblo and parish, however, often sharing the priest with Calbiga, where it became its visita by early 19th century. In 1863, it became a separate entity with its name being changed to Villareal.^[6]

Villareal was among the pueblos where the Dios-dios movement, forerunner of the Pulahanism and had been accused by the church authorities of subversion, had their followers. There were reports on their existence in the area by 1870s, at the time subversive activities in the Samar island were being investigated by the Spanish authorities, and 1880s. In the 1870s, four individuals were deported for their activities and secret alliance with Leon Petac, a member of the movement.^[7]

During the American occupation, the still-undivided Samar was reorganized, so as Villareal. In 1903, part of the then-dissolved municipality of Santa Rita (on the right bank of the Silanga River) was annexed into it (the rest was annexed into Calbayog and Basey); as the jurisdiction of barrio Iquiran was transferred to Zumarraga.^[8] In 1906, the re-establishment of Santa Rita resulted to Villareal and Basey losing their territories.^[9]

In early 2005, residents, aided by the municipal government,^[10] initiated the construction of eight-kilometer cemented road, which would link the town to the rest of the province, through the "Villareal Bayanihan Road Project"—the country's first of its kind. The dirt road, which covers seven barangays, remained unchanged since its opening in 1937. The materials were bought from money raised by natives, and the construction reportedly cost less than ₱10 million, compared to about ₱80 million—the supposed cost by the Department of Public Works and Highways.^[11] By late 2010, majority of the road project has been finished.^[10]

Poverty incidence of Villareal

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]}

• Rudy Romano