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Senate approves bill setting new term limits for Barangay, SK officials
Senate approves bill setting new term limits for Barangay, SK officials
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Senate approves bill setting new term limits for Barangay, SK officials
by Alessandra C. Frianela15 January 2025
Photo Courtesy: Voltaire F. Domingo / Senate Social Media Unit

The Senate approved Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2816 on third and final reading, which establishes a new term of office for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials.

Twenty-two senators voted in favor, with no objections and no abstentions. Under the proposed bill, all elected Barangay and SK officials will serve a four-year term in office.

Moreover, like other local officials, they will be limited to serving only three consecutive terms in the same position.

The next Barangay and SK elections are scheduled for October 20, 2027, and will be held every four years thereafter. The winners will assume office on November 1. Once approved into law, the incumbent officials will continue to serve in a holdover capacity until October 2027.

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Senator Imee Marcos, who sponsored the bill as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms, explained that the original proposal set a six-year term for Barangay and SK officials.

However, this was opposed by some of her colleagues, leading to a compromise of a four-year term instead.

"We have compromised at the level of four years. The following election to be conducted on October 20 of 2027," Marcos said during the plenary session on Tuesday.

"Three consecutive terms will be the limit and the SK charter will prevail for all the other dates referring to the SK, and the incumbent Kapitanes will be in a holdover capacity until that next election in 2027," she added.

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Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada expressed his full support for the bill, noting that its passage would finally resolve the ongoing issue of the repeated extensions of Barangay and SK elections.

He further stated that the Senate hopes that once the bill becomes law, it will ensure the continuation of programs in communities and provide more stable governance under the elected Barangay officials.

Senator Bong Revilla echoed the same sentiment, expressing hope that the passage of fixed terms for Barangay officials would result in government programs and services being more effectively felt in communities.

Furthermore, he mentioned that barangays serve as the primary implementing unit of the national government, acting as a bridge to expedite and ensure the smooth delivery of government programs directly to the people.

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