The House Committee on Local Government has approved in principle a consolidation of legislative measures seeking to extend the term of office for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from three to five years.
The committee, chaired by Aklan Representative Florencio Miraflores, acted on House Bills 1125, 10656, 10713, 10714, and 10924.
These proposals will be merged into an unnumbered substitute bill reflecting key agreements, including setting the next synchronized elections for the second Monday of November 2028 alongside updated term-limit guidelines.
Miraflores highlighted that extending official tenure aims to establish greater stability in local governance, giving grassroots leaders sufficient time to execute community-level programs effectively.
“Our task, therefore, is to find the right balance and establish a term that will ultimately strengthen, rather than weaken, grassroots governance,” Miraflores noted in a statement.
Sorsogon Representative Marie Bernadette Escudero, author of HB 10656, emphasized that a five-year mandate aligns local governance directly with the statutory five-year comprehensive development plan.
Escudero noted this is crucial for resource-strapped communities where funding constraints slow down project implementation.
Echoing this sentiment, Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LnB) National President Maria Katrina Jessica Dy pointed out that over 70% of barangays operate on annual budgets of ₱5 million or less.
According to Dy, longer terms allow local officials to move beyond quick, short-term fixes and focus on high-impact initiatives. She also stressed that barangays serve as primary responders during public emergencies, making structural continuity essential.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) reported that preparations for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled for November 2, 2026, remain fully on track.
Comelec Deputy Executive Director for Operations Rafael Olaño assured lawmakers that voter lists, ballot boxes, and printed ballots are already prepared.
Olaño clarified that should Congress pass the term extension law before November, Comelec will comply with the new election timetable. He added that printed ballots marked for the 2026 polls will not go to waste, as the commission plans to issue a resolution permitting their use in the rescheduled elections.
