Barangay Altavista

Barangay Altavista is a small barangay in the municipality of San Fernando, located in the province of Masbate, in the Bicol Region region of the Philippines.

According to the 2020 Philippine census, Barangay Altavista had a population of 564. This made it the 20th largest of 26 barangays in San Fernando by population, placing it among the smaller barangays of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Altavista accounted for approximately 2.61% of the total population of San Fernando, which stood at 21,600 in the same census year.

Census comparisons between 2015 and 2020 show Barangay Altavista moving from 557 residents to 564 residents, an intercensal change of +1.3%. The trajectory indicates a slowly expanding community. Barangay Altavista is officially classified as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

San Fernando is a municipality comprising 26 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Altavista, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of Masbate, which contains 550 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Altavista ranks 506th by 2020 population. Masbate is classified as a 1st 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.