Current brgy, SK execs have a 3-year term
TACLOBAN CITY – Senator Imee Marcos is proposing to extend the term of barangay officials from the current three years to a six-year term.
Marcos is rallying support from barangay officials across the country for this proposal, as contained under Senate Bill 2629 of which she authored.
As the chairman of the Senate’s committee on electoral reform, Marcos expressed concerns about the current three-year term, especially for first-time barangay officials who may not have enough time to accomplish significant tasks in less than two years.
“First-time officials are at a disadvantage without a track record, which might disappoint our voters,” she said in a press statement on Sunday (July 14).
“Additionally, it is a huge waste of money. Instead of spending billions on frequent elections, we could allocate those funds for projects, particularly in smaller towns,” Marcos added.
At present, barangay officials, including those elected in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), serve a three-year term.
Marcos also pointed out the challenges faced by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which will manage three elections next year: the midterm elections, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM) elections, and the manual barangay and SK elections.
Thus, Marcos wants to consult with all barangay officials about the matter and seek their support to amend the Local Government Code to establish a six-year term for barangay officials.
“The truth is, since 1988, we have been extending the barangay term. If you calculate from 1988 to the present and average it out, it really reaches five years. I was the one who initiated the extension from 2019 to 2022, which then became 2023,” said the senator, who is the elder sister of President Marcos.
This proposal has received support from groups like Tingog Kabataan Inc.
“We welcome this proposal from Sen. Marcos as it will give our barangay officials, including our SK officials, more time to prove their worth as leaders,” said Engr. Billy Roseño, president of the group, in a statement.
In addition to her six-year term suggestion, Marcos also proposed holding barangay elections a year after the presidential elections, which she believes is logical as barangay officials would have a fresh mandate from the elected President.
In Senate Bill 2629, Sen. Marcos stated that the myriad duties of barangay officials often prevent them from “formulating, developing, and implementing” their own policies and projects.
The bill also proposes that the next barangay elections be held on the last Monday of October 2029.
Currently, the Comelec has set December 1, 2025, for the next barangay and SK elections.
The country last conducted barangay and SK elections on October 30, 2023.
JOEY A. GABIETA
