Barangay San Rafael

Barangay San Rafael is a small barangay in the municipality of Cabangan, located in the province of Zambales, in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay San Rafael had a population of 1,097. This made it the 14th largest of 22 barangays in Cabangan by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay San Rafael accounted for approximately 3.90% of the total population of Cabangan, which stood at 28,118 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 932 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 1,097 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +17.7%, consistent with a growing settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay San Rafael as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Cabangan is a municipality comprising 22 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay San Rafael, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Zambales, which contains 247 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay San Rafael ranks 186th by 2020 population. Zambales is classified as a 2nd by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

The barangay's legislative and executive affairs are handled by a Punong Barangay and the Sangguniang Barangay, elected nationwide during the Barangay and SK Elections. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, following the synchronized election schedule set by COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.