Extended term proposal for barangay officials resurfaces

Voters in Solsona town in Ilocos Norte province search for their polling precincts during the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday, Oct. 30. (John Michael Mugas)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—Sen. Imee Marcos on Monday renewed her call for longer terms for barangay officials.

“Dapat habaan na yung termino ng ating mga barangay officials, kasi wala na kaming ginawa sa Senate, sa Congress kung hindi i-extend nang i-extend [ang kanilang termino],” Marcos told reporters after casting her vote for the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections at Cabeza Elementary School in this city.

Earlier, Sen. Marcos proposed that the terms of barangay officials be extended to six instead of three years, fixing their elections every May of the year following the presidential elections.

In calling for a longer term, Marcos said that village officials had experienced an increase in their workload, especially after bearing the brunt of the government response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nakita naman natin na padami ng padami ang binabagsak na trabaho sa barangay katulad nung Covid,” she added.

The senator also said that there is a need to revisit the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Act of 2015.

“The SK [law] is the first anti-dynasty law in the country, and it has had unintended consequences such that very often we cannot complete the entire line-up of the SK kasi nga sa maliliit na barangay, lahat magkamag-anak,” she said.

Under the law, there should be in every barangay an SK composed of a chairperson and seven members.

She proposed that there should only be at least one representative to represent the youth sector instead of an entire council line-up.

“Isa na lang na kinatawan ng kabataan, huwag na yung buong konseho, na para sa youth sector. Na may nagsasalita, may boses yung kabataan para hindi obligado na magbuo ng buong konseho,” the senator said.