Barangay Santa Emilia

Situated in Laak, Davao De Oro, Barangay Santa Emilia is one of 40 barangays that make up the municipality within Davao Region.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Santa Emilia had a population of 1,721. This made it the 19th largest of 40 barangays in Laak by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Santa Emilia accounted for approximately 2.16% of the total population of Laak, which stood at 79,744 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Santa Emilia changed from 1,566 to 1,721, a shift of +9.9% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with growing populations in Laak. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Santa Emilia as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Laak is a municipality comprising 40 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Santa Emilia, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Davao De Oro, which contains 237 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Santa Emilia ranks 147th by 2020 population. Davao De Oro 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 Santa Emilia 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.