Barangay Besao West

Situated in Besao, Mountain Province, Barangay Besao West is one of 14 barangays that make up the municipality within CAR.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Besao West had a population of 376. This made it the 9th largest of 14 barangays in Besao by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Besao West accounted for approximately 5.47% of the total population of Besao, which stood at 6,873 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Besao West changed from 387 to 376, a shift of -2.8% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with contracting populations in Besao. Barangay Besao West is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Besao is a municipality comprising 14 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Besao West, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Mountain Province, which contains 144 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Besao West ranks 125th by 2020 population. Mountain Province is classified as a 4th by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Besao West 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.