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The next biggest social frame after the family is the barrio (in rural areas) or the barangay (in administrative language). There are about 40,000 barangays in the Philippines - nearly 5,000 in Metro Manila alone, The word barangay is Malay in origin and meant about the number of people who could be carried in a large boat. Barrio is a word introduced by the Spaniards meaning ward. Barrio and barangay are used interchangeably and correspond roughly to the American precinct or the English parish. Each as a concept was implemented by the Marcos administration and kept thereafter.

The barangay is the smallest government unit in the Philippines, and each municipality or city is so sub-divided. It is the primary planning and action unit for government programs and projects. It is a forum for the collective opinion of a community.

A barangay is created by an ordinance passed by the Provincial Board and City Board, subject to the outcome of a plebiscite called for that purpose in a sityo or pook (part of a barangay, a place).

To qualify each barangay must have a basketball court (while not a legal requirement most residents would rather forgo some other part of the requirement, and indeed even places without a barangay designation will have a place to play or at least a basket for shooting practice), a chapel, a plaza, a health center (which must have a refrigerator to store anti-snake bite sera), a barangay hall and a school.

In addition to be a barangay, a sityo must have a contiguous community with over 1,000 inhabitants. No barangay can be named after a living person nor can it be changed more than once every ten years. Although they are frequently named for saints Manila tends to simply use a number.

The barangay officials are the barangay captain and 6 other elected members. The barangay captain is the head of the barangay government who is obligated to enforce all laws and ordinances operative within the barangay. He represents the barangay and as such can negotiate, enter into a contract for and on behalf of the barangay, maintains public order and assists the mayor and the municipal board in the performance of their duties. He calls and presides over the meeting of the barangay council and the barangay assembly and votes to break a tie. He can appoint and remove barangay officers, approve vouchers for disbursement, enforce laws and look after the general welfare of the barangay.

The barangay council is the legislative body of the barangay which enacts barangay ordinances, provides for the construction of public work projects and facilities with the power of eminent domain, assists in the establishment and promotion of cooperative enterprises such as credit unions, submits requests for or accepts aid from municipal/city, provincial or national government agencies. It holds fund-raising activities, organizes community brigades and assemblies, and can establish non-formal education centers like day care centers.

Barangay courts were established in 1980. They are headed by the barangay captain who acts as a judge in out-of-court settlements of civil and criminal cases within the barangay.

The barangay captain receives a token salary but is held in high esteem by the community he serves. He is a combination of leader, squire, Justice of the peace, lawmaker and enforcer. The barangay captains elect a captain of captains who presides over meetings of the barangay captains and facilitates matters among barangays.

The officials of a municipality are the mayor, vice mayor, and councillors who are members of the municpal board.

The mayor is the chief executive of the municipality who controls and supervises all administrative affairs in the area. He appoints officers and employees of the municipal government. Aside from that, he grants permits and licenses to businesses within its territory, prepares the municipal budget, enforces laws, municipal ordinances and resolutions and ensures the collection of all municipal revenues and taxes. Furthermore, he represents the municipality. The Vice mayor assists the Mayor in the performance of his duties and acts as an ex-officio member of the Municipal Board.

The municipal board is composed of 8 elected members with representatives from the agricultural and industrial labor sectors; and is presided over by the mayor. The municipal board passes ordinances for the municipality regulating use of property, levies taxes and fees, establishes and maintains the public market, cemeteries, slaughterhouses and the waterworks system. It likewise fixes the salaries of municipal officials and employees.

An affirmative vote by the majority of the municipal board can pass an ordinance which must be approved and signed by the mayor within 10 days, otherwise, it is deemed approved. It is then forwarded to the provincial board which has 30 days to act on it either by approving it or declaring it invalid in whole or in part. Without such action the ordinance is deemed approved.

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