[5] Barugo is a town in the northern coastal part of Leyte province facing Carigara Bay, 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-west of Tacloban City, whose history dates back to the early days of Spanish colonization.

One day while he was resting by the river bank under the shade of a giant tree, a Spaniard came along and asked him the name of the place.

Cassadok did not understand Spanish and thinking the Spaniard was asking the name of the big shady tree, answered "Balugo."

For the early Spanish historians and chroniclers have always referred to the town by the name it carries today, Barugo.

Early during the Spanish rule, the area was given the status of a pueblo (town) when it was established as an "encomienda."

An encomienda was a land estate awarded to deserving Spaniards for services rendered to the Spanish Crown.

Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the first governor of Las Islas Filipinas, started the practice of designating large landed estates as encomiendas.

During that time they expanded their influence starting from Carigara and Barugo, in the hinterlands of Ogmuc (Ormoc), Dulac (Dulag), Palo, Alangalang, Malibago (?)

Its cottage industries are the manufacture of tuba (coconut palm wine) and roscas (sweet pastries made of flour, sugar, eggs and shortening).

Not unlike the rest of the country, its economy is partly driven by dollar remittances from overseas workers.