Senate OKs bill setting 4-year term for barangay, SK officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved on third and final reading yesterday a measure setting the term of office for barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members to four years.

The bill also postpones the barangay and SK elections (BSKE) this year to the first Monday of October 2027 and every four years thereafter.

The Supreme Court had ruled in 2023 that such prolonged postponements of the BSKE and extension of the terms of BSK officials are unconstitutional.

Opponents of such postponements have noted that these are pushed by Congress and Malacañang in time for elections. The four-year term is longer than that of congressmen, local government executives and half of senators.

During the plenary session, 22 senators voted in favor of the Senate Bill 2816, with no abstention and negative votes.

“With the longer fixed term, the barangay officials and members of the SK will deepen their understanding of both national and local issues, as well as implement their own medium and long term initiative at the barangay level,” Sen. Imee Marcos explained during her sponsorship speech.

Under the bill, “the term of office of all elected barangay officials and members of the SK shall be four years. No elective barangay official shall serve for more than three consecutive terms in the same position. Voluntary renunciation of office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which the elective official was elected.”

The term of those elected subsequent to the effectivity of the act shall commence on the first day of November following their election.

Barangay officials serving their third consecutive term in the same position shall not be eligible to run for the same position in the 2027 BSKE.