Balatan

The town got its name after Don Gregorio Balatan. He was the first mayor of the municipality, and he founded the Balatan Institute Memorial High School (formerly Balatan Institute), the first school in town.

Balatan was once a sitio known as Siramag which belonged to the town of Nabua.

In 1951, Camarines Sur Provincial Board Member Gregorio O. Balatan Sr. proposed a resolution to divide Nabua into two municipalities: Nabua and Balatan. Balatan then was separated from its mother town and became independent on December 3, 1951, under Executive Order (EO) No. 485 of then President Elpidio Quirino. It was named after Don Rufino Balatan which is the father of Board Member Gregorio O. Balatan Sr.

This town bounded by the municipalities of Bula, Bato, and Nabua, as well as Ragay Gulf.

Animasola Island is part of this municipality's territory.

In the 2024 census, the population of Balatan was 31,069 people,^[13] with a density of 330 inhabitants per square kilometre or 850 inhabitants per square mile.

Rinconada Bikol is the mother tongue spoken by 96.67% of the population.

In the period 1960 to 1997, there was an average of 97.60% of total housing units in the municipality that were occupied while only 3.40% were vacant.

Literacy Rate

• Urban area literacy rate: 98.29%
• Rural area literacy rate: 97.17%

Religious affiliation

• Catholics: 96.50%
• Iglesia ni Cristo: 2.00%
• Others: 1.50%

Poverty incidence of Balatan

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]}

The town's economy is supported by people from the Burias Island of Masbate province who are mostly trading their products in this small municipality. Balatan celebrates the Pintakasi and Pagkamundag Festivals annually on February 18 and December 1–3 respectively.

Minor central business district consists of public market, grocery, sari-sari stores, welding and vulcanizing shop, calling office, fish dealer, bakery, barber shop, beauty parlor, billiard hall, coco lumber dealer, junk shop and cable network. Neighborhood centers consists of sari-sari stores, bakery, videoke/bar, mini-sound system, repair shops, piggery, cockpit, bakery, furniture shop, fish dealer, repair and welding shops, copra dealer, among others.

The only industrial business is a mini-containerized ice plant which caters to the needs of rich-fishing activities, and a few rice mills. There are six beach resorts catering to domestic tourism.

Agriculture sector

• 75.04% of the total municipal land area are devoted to crops such as rice, corn, vegetables, legumes, coffee, high value crops and fruits, sugar cane, coconut, banana, abaca, root crops and industrial crops
• For livestock production: 37 private owners engaged in raising carabaos, cattle, swine or poultry
• For fishery production: 2 commercial, 298 local.

The current and the 8th mayor is Domingo "Ding" Teñoso Abliter.

The Balatan Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[22]