Barangay Mahayag

Situated in Villareal, Samar, Barangay Mahayag is one of 38 barangays that make up the municipality within Eastern Visayas.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Mahayag had a population of 1,560. This made it the 3rd largest of 38 barangays in Villareal by population, placing it among the most populous barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Mahayag accounted for approximately 5.69% of the total population of Villareal, which stood at 27,394 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Mahayag changed from 1,526 to 1,560, a shift of +2.2% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with growing populations in Villareal. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Mahayag as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Villareal is a municipality comprising 38 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Mahayag, 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 Mahayag ranks 107th 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 Mahayag 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.