Barangay Bato

Barangay Bato is a mid-sized barangay in the municipality of Plaridel, located in the province of Misamis Occidental, in the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Bato had a population of 3,486. This made it the 1st largest of 33 barangays in Plaridel by population, placing it among the most populous barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Bato accounted for approximately 8.75% of the total population of Plaridel, which stood at 39,840 in the same census year.

The barangay recorded 3,680 residents in the 2015 intercensal count and 3,486 residents in the 2020 Census — a net change of -5.3%, consistent with a contracting settlement. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Bato as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Plaridel is a municipality comprising 33 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Bato, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Misamis Occidental, which contains 490 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Bato ranks 26th by 2020 population. Misamis Occidental 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.