Barangay 1 Poblacion

Classified as a very small barangay, Barangay 1 Poblacion is one of the administrative divisions of Mercedes in Eastern Samar, Eastern Visayas, Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay 1 Poblacion had a population of 307. This made it the 10th largest of 16 barangays in Mercedes by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay 1 Poblacion accounted for approximately 5.02% of the total population of Mercedes, which stood at 6,112 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay 1 Poblacion moving from 283 residents to 307 residents, an intercensal change of +8.5%. The trajectory indicates a growing community. Barangay 1 Poblacion is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Mercedes is a municipality comprising 16 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay 1 Poblacion, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Eastern Samar, which contains 597 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay 1 Poblacion ranks 493rd by 2020 population. Eastern Samar is classified as a 2nd by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay 1 Poblacion 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.