Villareal, Philippines

History

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.

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.

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. In 1906, the re-establishment of Santa Rita resulted to Villareal and Basey losing their territories.

From the History section of Villareal, Samar on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.