Barangay Manupal

Barangay Manupal is a small barangay in the municipality of Matalam, located in the province of Cotabato, in the SOCCSKSARGEN region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Manupal had a population of 1,046. This made it the 31st largest of 34 barangays in Matalam by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Manupal accounted for approximately 1.29% of the total population of Matalam, which stood at 81,355 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Manupal changed from 1,055 to 1,046, a shift of -0.9% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with broadly stable populations in Matalam. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Manupal as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Matalam is a municipality comprising 34 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Manupal, 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 Manupal ranks 419th 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 Manupal 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.