Barangay Bakal

Classified as a small barangay, Barangay Bakal is one of the administrative divisions of Paracale in Camarines Norte, Bicol Region, Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Bakal had a population of 1,154. This made it the 17th largest of 27 barangays in Paracale by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Bakal accounted for approximately 1.92% of the total population of Paracale, which stood at 60,198 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Bakal changed from 917 to 1,154, a shift of +25.8% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with growing populations in Paracale. Barangay Bakal is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Paracale is a municipality comprising 27 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Bakal, 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 Bakal ranks 212th 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.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Bakal 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.