Barangay R.M. Magbalon

Situated in Cawayan, Masbate, Barangay R.M. Magbalon is one of 37 barangays that make up the municipality within Bicol Region.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay R.M. Magbalon had a population of 854. This made it the 34th largest of 37 barangays in Cawayan by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay R.M. Magbalon accounted for approximately 1.23% of the total population of Cawayan, which stood at 69,265 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay R.M. Magbalon changed from 954 to 854, a shift of -10.5% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with contracting populations in Cawayan. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay R.M. Magbalon 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 R.M. Magbalon, 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 R.M. Magbalon ranks 419th 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.