MANILA, philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is pushing for a six-year term for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, counted from their election in 2023, to avoid overlapping with the 2028 presidential elections.

“Let’s not exhaust the Filipino people,” Pimentel said. “Right after electing a new president, vice president, senators, and congressmen, do we really want to send voters back to the polls for barangay elections? It’s too much.”

The Commission on Elections has set the barangay and SK elections on December 1, 2025.

The House of Representatives has approved a bill extending the term of barangay and SK officials to six years, while the Senate’s version is limited to four years. The two chambers are set to reconcile differences in a bicameral conference committee.

“I will propose that the six-year term begin from 2023, the year they were elected,” Pimentel said. “That means the next barangay elections will be in 2029, avoiding overlap with the 2028 presidential elections and giving our communities a period of political stability.”

Pimentel argued that the extension would allow barangay officials to implement long-term programs and provide continuity in governance.

“Barangay leaders are at the frontlines of service delivery,” Pimentel said. “They need time and stability to see projects through—whether it’s health programs, infrastructure, or disaster response systems. We can’t expect meaningful impact if we’re constantly cutting their terms short.”

He added that the proposal would help end the cycle of delayed barangay elections and bring more predictability to the local electoral calendar.