Ballesteros was formerly a barrio of Abulug named Santa Cruz, which was made an independent municipality in 1911.

It was named after Gregorio Ballesteros, a Filipino priest who spearheaded the development of the community.

Poverty Incidence of Ballesteros Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Ballesteros, belonging to the second legislative district of the province of Cagayan, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code.

The Schools Division of Cagayan governs the town's public education system.

This article about a location in Cagayan Valley region is a stub.