Barangay Macalaya

Classified as a small barangay, Barangay Macalaya is one of the administrative divisions of Placer in Surigao Del Norte, Caraga, Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Macalaya had a population of 1,216. This made it the 9th largest of 20 barangays in Placer by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Macalaya accounted for approximately 4.11% of the total population of Placer, which stood at 29,616 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 1,141 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 1,216 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of +6.6%, consistent with a growing settlement. Barangay Macalaya is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Placer is a municipality comprising 20 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Macalaya, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Surigao Del Norte, which contains 335 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Macalaya ranks 137th by 2020 population. Surigao Del 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.