[3] Formerly, Giporlos was a barangay of the municipality of Balangiga, named San Bernardino.

The name of the municipality was taken from the Waray-waray word Hi Podlos ('the sly one'), the nickname given to a woman who was nearly kidnapped by marauding "Moros" (Muslims).

A folk story in the town tells of two women who went to a coastal area called "Rawis" to gather seashells only to be confronted by Moro men.

The other woman, who was already being dragged by the Moros to their vinta, squirmed her way out of their clutches like an eel (Waray: podlos, 'to slip from capture'), leaving them clutching her skirt while she fled triumphantly, earning the name Hi Podlos.

Poverty incidence of Giporlos Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]