Barangay Owak

Barangay Owak is a small barangay in the municipality of Hilongos, located in the province of Leyte, in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Owak had a population of 1,167. This made it the 20th largest of 51 barangays in Hilongos by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Owak accounted for approximately 1.81% of the total population of Hilongos, which stood at 64,514 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Owak moving from 1,136 residents to 1,167 residents, an intercensal change of +2.7%. The trajectory indicates a growing community. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Owak as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Hilongos is a municipality comprising 51 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Owak, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Leyte, which contains 1,641 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Owak ranks 499th by 2020 population. Leyte is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Barangay Owak is governed by an elected Sangguniang Barangay composed of a Punong Barangay and seven kagawads, with the Sangguniang Kabataan representing the youth. The next BSKE, set for Monday, November 2, 2026, will elect officials to four-year terms as provided under Republic Act No. 12232.