Barangay Alwa

Barangay Alwa is a small barangay in the municipality of Palauig, located in the province of Zambales, in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Alwa had a population of 820. This made it the 18th largest of 19 barangays in Palauig by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Alwa accounted for approximately 2.06% of the total population of Palauig, which stood at 39,784 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 672 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 820 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +22.0%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Alwa is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Palauig is a municipality comprising 19 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Alwa, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Zambales, which contains 247 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Alwa ranks 200th by 2020 population. Zambales 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 Alwa 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.