THE House of Representatives has adopted the Senate version of a measure extending the terms of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to five years and postponing the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from November 2026 to November 2028, paving the way for its submission to President Marcos for approval.
Last week, the House adopted Senate Bill 2387, allowing the measure to bypass the bicameral conference committee process and proceed to presidential action.
Camarines Sur Reps. Miguel Luis Villafuerte and Luigi Vincenzo Villafuerte welcomed the House action.
‘We are optimistic that barangay and SK officials will have more time to implement their development programs in their respective localities, following the approval of the Senate bill adopted by the House,’ said Miguel Luis Villafuerte, a co-author of the measure.
‘The longer terms will give them additional time to plan and carry out projects, particularly those that require longer periods to complete and deliver benefits to their communities,’ he added.
Under the measure, the next BSKE would be held on the second Monday of November 2028, with subsequent elections to be conducted every five years. With their terms extended by two years due to the postponement of the elections, incumbent elective barangay officials shall be regarded as having completed one term in their respective positions.
Deputy Majority Leader Luigi Vincenzo Villafuerte said, meanwhile, that the bill, which seeks to amend Republic Act 12232, also sets limits on the number of consecutive terms that barangay and SK officials may serve.
Barangay officials may serve two consecutive terms in the same position, while SK members may serve one term. It disqualifies incumbent barangay officials who are already serving their third consecutive term from running for the same position in the next barangay elections.
The measure retains the provision that voluntary renunciation of office for any length of time shall not be considered an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which the barangay or SK official was elected.
The House passed its version, House Bill 10971, by a vote of 211-13-1, with one abstention, on September 8, while the Senate approved its version, SB 2387, by a 13-5 vote on September 14.
The House’s adoption of the Senate version means the two chambers no longer need to convene a bicameral conference committee to reconcile separate versions of the measure. The adopted version can now proceed to the next stage of the legislative process and be submitted to the president for approval and signing into law.