Barangay Paatan Upper

Barangay Paatan Upper forms part of Kabacan, a municipality in Cotabato, and is classified as a mid-sized barangay.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Paatan Upper had a population of 2,303. This made it the 13th largest of 24 barangays in Kabacan by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Paatan Upper accounted for approximately 2.45% of the total population of Kabacan, which stood at 93,822 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 2,150 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 2,303 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +7.1%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Paatan Upper is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Kabacan is a municipality comprising 24 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Paatan Upper, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Cotabato, which contains 543 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Paatan Upper ranks 192nd by 2020 population. Cotabato is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Paatan Upper 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.