Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials would serve five-year terms instead of the current four under legislation introduced Thursday by Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, a change that would also delay the next village-level and youth council elections by two years.
Filed as Senate Bill No. 2387, the measure amends Republic Act No. 12232, the law that presently fixes the term for elected barangay and SK officials at four years. Should it become law, the elections scheduled for November 2026 would instead take place in November 2028, with subsequent contests following on a five-year cycle.
Escudero framed the reform around governance stability, writing in his explanatory note that the goal is to “enhance the stability and consistency of public service at the barangay level.” He argued the longer term would benefit both officials and their constituencies, saying it would “promote continuity in governance, provide sufficient time for community development initiatives, reduce disruptions caused by frequent electoral exercises, and enable local officials to focus on public service rather than on electoral cycles.”
The bill carries a transitory provision affecting those already in office. Sitting barangay and SK officials would see their current terms stretched by an additional two years, with that extension counted as part of their completed term.
That accounting matters for reelection eligibility. Barangay officials currently in their third straight term in the same post would be barred from running again for that position in November 2028.
On term limits, the legislation leaves the existing ceilings untouched: barangay officials may hold the same office for up to three consecutive terms, while SK officials remain capped at a single term.
