Barangay Apuao

Barangay Apuao is a small barangay in the municipality of Mercedes, located in the province of Camarines Norte, in the Bicol Region region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Apuao had a population of 635. This made it the 25th largest of 26 barangays in Mercedes by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Apuao accounted for approximately 1.15% of the total population of Mercedes, which stood at 55,334 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 647 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 635 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of -1.9%, consistent with a broadly stable settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Apuao as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Mercedes is a municipality comprising 26 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Apuao, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Camarines Norte, which contains 282 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Apuao ranks 261st by 2020 population. Camarines Norte is classified as a 2nd by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

The barangay's legislative and executive affairs are handled by a Punong Barangay and the Sangguniang Barangay, elected nationwide during the Barangay and SK Elections. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, following the synchronized election schedule set by COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.