Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III is pushing for a six-year term for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, starting from their election in 2023.
Pimentel said the change is needed to avoid holding barangay elections in 2028, the same year as the presidential polls.
“Let’s not exhaust the Filipino people. Right after electing a new president, vice president, senators, and congressmen, do we really want to send voters back to the polls for barangay elections? It’s too much,” according to him.
The House of Representatives has approved a bill extending the term to six years. The Senate version limits it to four.
Pimentel said he would push for the six-year term during the bicameral conference committee, where both chambers reconcile their versions. His proposal would move the next barangay and SK elections to 2029.
“I will propose that the six-year term begin from 2023, the year they were elected. That means the next barangay elections will be in 2029, avoiding overlap with the 2028 presidential elections and giving our communities a period of political stability,” he also said.
The senator explained that a longer term would give barangay officials more time to implement programs and ensure continuity in local governance.
“Barangay leaders are at the frontlines of service delivery. They need time and stability to see projects through–whether it’s health programs, infrastructure, or disaster response systems. We can’t expect meaningful impact if we’re constantly cutting their terms short,” he furthered.
Pimentel added that his proposal would also help end the cycle of delayed barangay polls and create a more predictable election calendar.IMT
