Bill seeks longer terms for barangay officials

Rep. Winston Castelo. Photo from congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines—The three-year term for barangay officials is too short for their projects and reform activities to take off, according to a lawmaker, who proposes that a five-year term for the community leaders would be more effective.

Quezon City Representative Winston Castelo has filed a bill to increase the term of office of barangay officials by two years,  saying the present three-year term is too limited.

Castelo noted that the third year in office of the barangay leaders is usually devoted to politicking or preparing for their next possible term.

“It would seem that a three-year term for barangay officials is far too short for our local leaders to hit the ground running in terms of their value, role, and impact upon that smaller political unit of society. It is so because the supposedly third year of that people’s mandate has become devoted to actions or inaction preparatory to the subsequent barangay elections,” he said in the explanatory note to the bill.

He contended that plans, programs, and other activities require more than just three years to bear fruit and their proponents should therefore remain in office longer.

There have been earlier attempts to extend the term of barangay officials to five years, with proponents saying the longer term would give the officials more training and experience in local governance. This was important because barangay officials usually become city or municipal leaders later on, they said.