Barangay Malbug

Barangay Malbug is a mid-sized barangay in the municipality of Cawayan, located in the province of Masbate, in the Bicol Region region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Malbug had a population of 3,178. This made it the 5th largest of 37 barangays in Cawayan by population, placing it in the upper half of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Malbug accounted for approximately 4.59% of the total population of Cawayan, which stood at 69,265 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Malbug moving from 3,508 residents to 3,178 residents, an intercensal change of -9.4%. The trajectory indicates a contracting community. Barangay Malbug is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Cawayan is a municipality comprising 37 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Malbug, 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 Malbug ranks 50th 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.

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.