Balud
Municipality
Municipality of Balud
Aerial view in 2024
Flag Seal
Map of Masbate with Balud highlighted
Interactive map of Balud
Balud Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 12°02′13″N 123°11′37″E / 12.03686°N 123.19351°E / 12.03686; 123.19351
Country	Philippines
Region	Bicol Region
Province	Masbate
District	2nd district
Founded	July 18, 1949
Barangays	32 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Rodolfo Estrella Jr.
• Vice Mayor	Felimon C. Abelita III
• Representative	Elisa T. Kho
• Municipal Council	Members Emmanuel T. Sese Clemente P. Arguelles III Julius P. Arguelles Roque B. dela Cruz Gina N. Alajar Paulito P. Tacurda Jinky J. Nuevo Rey T. Sto. Domingo
• Electorate	28,285 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	231.00 km2 (89.19 sq mi)
Elevation	24 m (79 ft)
Highest elevation	356 m (1,168 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	40,236
• Density	174.18/km2 (451.13/sq mi)
• Households	9,039
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	28.45 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 226.6 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 503.2 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 179.5 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 180.9 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Masbate Electric Cooperative (MASELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	5412
PSGC	0504103000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)56
Native languages	Hiligaynon Capiznon Tagalog

Balud, officially the Municipality of Balud, is a municipality in the province of Masbate, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 40,236 people.^[5]

The name Balud came from the name of the Pink-bellied imperial pigeon (Ducula poliocephala).

Balud was created as a municipality through Executive Order No. 244 signed by President Elpidio Quirino on July 18, 1949.^[6]

Balud is 68 kilometres (42 mi) from Masbate City.

Balud is politically subdivided into 32 barangays. ^[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Population census of Balud
Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1960 14,708 —     1970 21,448 +3.84% 1975 24,219 +2.47% 1980 24,549 +0.27% 1990 26,121 +0.62% 1995 27,933 +1.26%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 30,068 +1.59% 2007 31,484 +0.64% 2010 35,841 +4.83% 2015 38,124 +1.18% 2020 40,155 +1.10% 2024 40,236 +0.05%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9][10][11][12][13]

In the 2020 census, the population of Balud, Masbate, was 40,155 people,^[14] with a density of 170 inhabitants per square kilometre or 440 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Balud

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]}

There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[23] These are the:

• Balud North Schools District
• Balud South Schools District

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System