MANILA, Philippines — The team of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is studying a proposal to lengthen the service of barangay officials to five years per term, instead of the current three, Executive Secretary-designate Vic Rodriguez said Friday.
"We are open to all options that are being presented to us including the possibility of passing a law and making the term of barangay captains to five years, still subject to three terms," he said in a statement.
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Rodriguez, who was formerly a barangay captain, said he believes additional years to a barangay official's term will improve governance instead of the "current practice of constant extension" through postponing the elections.
The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls were moved to December 2022, from May 2020, according to Republic Act 11462, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Until the officials' successors have been elected, the incumbent leaders will remain in office unless they were removed or suspended for any cause.
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The last barangay and SK elections, held in May 2018, also saw two rounds of postponements. They were supposed to be held on October 2016.
Rodriguez believes there is wisdom in giving longer terms to barangay officials rather than extending their terms because of the postponement of the polls, indicating that the latter "works against" the spirit of the Local Government Code.
He also said a longer term of five years in office will provide a "higher degree of accountability" as local government units (LGUs) and barangays are set to get more funding this year, once the Mandanas-Garcia ruling takes effect.
The Mandanas-Garcia ruling requires the government to expand the share of local government units (LGUs) in tax collections, while LGUs are mandated to operate social services such as those related to agriculture, connectivity and health within their jurisdictions.
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Three years ago, Sen. Imee Marcos, the older sister of the president-elect, filed an act extending the term of barangay officials and SK members to six years with a limit of two terms.
In her explanatory note, the elder Marcos said the current three-year term "may not be enough for the effective implementation of their plans and programs", adding that extending their years of service per term would ensure continuity. — With a report from Kristine Joy Patag