Barangay Tonga

Barangay Tonga is a small barangay in the municipality of Balud, located in the province of Masbate, in the Bicol Region region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Tonga had a population of 1,042. This made it the 17th largest of 32 barangays in Balud by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Tonga accounted for approximately 2.59% of the total population of Balud, which stood at 40,155 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 927 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 1,042 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +12.4%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Tonga is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Balud is a municipality comprising 32 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Tonga, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Masbate, which contains 550 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Tonga ranks 358th by 2020 population. Masbate 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 Tonga 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.