Barangay Bucao

Barangay Bucao forms part of San Gabriel, a municipality in La Union, and is classified as a mid-sized barangay.

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Barangay Bucao had a population of 2,121. This made it the 3rd largest of 15 barangays in San Gabriel by population, placing it in the upper half of the municipality. Residents of Barangay Bucao accounted for approximately 11.20% of the total population of San Gabriel, which stood at 18,943 in the same census year.

Between the 2015 and 2020 censuses, the population of Barangay Bucao changed from 1,908 to 2,121, a shift of +11.2% over the five-year period. This places the barangay among those with growing populations in San Gabriel. The Philippine Statistics Authority classifies Barangay Bucao as rural, a designation applied to barangays with lower population density and predominantly non-built-up land use.

San Gabriel is a municipality comprising 15 barangays, and serves as the governing unit directly responsible for local services in Barangay Bucao, including public health, sanitation, peace and order, and civil registration. Within the wider province of La Union, which contains 576 barangays across its component cities and municipalities, Barangay Bucao ranks 91st by 2020 population. La Union 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.