Barangay Macarang

Barangay Macarang forms part of Palauig, a municipality in Zambales, and is classified as a small barangay.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Macarang had a population of 1,746. This made it the 11th largest of 19 barangays in Palauig by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Macarang accounted for approximately 4.39% of the total population of Palauig, which stood at 39,784 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Macarang changed from 1,545 to 1,746, a shift of +13.0% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with growing populations in Palauig. Barangay Macarang 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 Macarang, 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 Macarang ranks 130th 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 Macarang 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.