Barangay Balaba

Barangay Balaba forms part of Polangui, a municipality in Albay, and is classified as a small barangay.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Balaba had a population of 1,813. This made it the 18th largest of 44 barangays in Polangui by population, placing it in the middle tier of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Balaba accounted for approximately 2.03% of the total population of Polangui, which stood at 89,176 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Balaba moving from 1,697 residents to 1,813 residents, an intercensal change of +6.8%. The trajectory indicates a growing community. Barangay Balaba is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

Polangui is a municipality comprising 44 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Balaba, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Albay, which contains 720 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Balaba ranks 272nd by 2020 population. Albay is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, a category that reflects the province's annual regular income.

Like every Philippine barangay, Barangay Balaba 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.