Barangay Ligaya

Situated in Matuguinao, Samar, Barangay Ligaya is one of 20 barangays that make up the municipality within Eastern Visayas.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Ligaya had a population of 86. This made it the 20th largest of 20 barangays in Matuguinao by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Ligaya accounted for approximately 1.17% of the total population of Matuguinao, which stood at 7,364 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 172 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 86 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of -50.0%, consistent with a contracting settlement. Barangay Ligaya is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Matuguinao is a municipality comprising 20 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Ligaya, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Samar, which contains 951 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Ligaya ranks 944th by 2020 population. Samar is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Ligaya is led by an elected Punong Barangay (barangay captain) supported by seven Sangguniang Barangay members (kagawads), an SK Chairperson, a Barangay Secretary, and a Barangay Treasurer. The next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, with officials serving four-year terms under Republic Act No. 12232.