Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said proposed bills setting the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to five years and postponing the Nov. 2 elections are expected to be approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
House Bill No. 10971, which fixes the term of office for barangay and SK officials to five years, passed on second reading in the House of Representatives this week.
Under the measure, barangay officials will be allowed to serve up to two consecutive terms, while SK officials will be limited to a single term.
Benitez noted that because there are no major differences between the Senate and House versions, the bill could pass swiftly without requiring a bicameral conference committee.
Benitez said he supports extending the term limit as three years is often too short for officials to complete their programs and plans.
“Barangay officials are frontliners, so they should be given more time to deliver,” he said, adding that mechanisms are already in place to hold non-performing officials accountable.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that while any postponement of the Nov. 2 elections ultimately rests with Congress, the Commission on Elections is continuing its preparations.
Regardless of the outcome, Lacson urged barangay officials to remain prepared.
“In fact, they should have been ready for the last three years because they will be judged in this election,” Lacson said.
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