MANILA — The House Committee on Local Government approved in principle measures seeking to extend the terms of office of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to five years.

The committee, chaired by Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores, agreed to consolidate House Bills 1125, 10656, 10713, 10714, and 10924 into an unnumbered substitute bill.

The proposed measure will incorporate provisions agreed upon by the committee, including the holding of the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on the second Monday of November 2028 and applicable term-limit rules.

Miraflores said extending the term could provide greater continuity and stability in grassroots governance by giving barangay and SK officials more time to implement programs and deliver results.

“Our task, therefore, is to find the right balance and establish a term that will ultimately strengthen, rather than weaken, grassroots governance,” he said.

Sorsogon Rep. Marie Bernadette Escudero, author of HB 10656, said a five-year term would align the tenure of barangay officials with the five-year comprehensive development plan.

“This is particularly important for barangays with very limited resources, where the time and capacity to implement development programs can be a significant challenge,” she said.

Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National President Maria Katrina Jessica Dy backed the proposal, noting that more than 70% of barangays operate on annual budgets of PHP5 million or less.

She said the limited resources often constrain barangays to short-term programs, while a longer term would allow officials to plan and implement projects with greater and longer-term impact.

Dy also underscored the role of barangays as the government’s first point of contact with communities, particularly during disasters and emergencies, making continuity in local leadership important.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said it remains prepared to hold the BSKE on Nov. 2, 2026, as currently scheduled.

COMELEC Deputy Executive Director for Operations Rafael Olaño told the committee that preparations were already well underway.

“Sa katunayan po ready na, meron na tayong final list of voters, nakapag-print na rin tayo ng mga balota, nakapag-procure na rin po tayo ng mga ballot boxes, mga forms and other supplies na gagamitin,” he said.

Olaño, however, acknowledged that the elections could be postponed if Congress passes legislation extending the terms of incumbent barangay and SK officials.

He said COMELEC would implement whatever changes Congress may approve regarding the election schedule.

Olaño also assured lawmakers that postponing the November 2026 elections would not result in the wastage of election materials already procured by the poll body.

The ballots printed for the Nov. 2, 2026 elections could still be used in the succeeding BSKE, he said. COMELEC would issue a resolution authorizing the use of the previously printed ballots bearing the 2026 election date.

For now, COMELEC will continue preparations for the Nov. 2 BSKE pending congressional action on the proposed extension of the terms of barangay and SK officials.