MANILA — Citing the need for more time to give village officials to deliver their mandates, Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation Chair Imee Marcos has asked her colleagues to approve Senate Bill 2816 under Committee Report Number 317, giving both barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials 6-year terms.

"The term of office of all elected barangay  officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan shall be six (6) years. No  barangay elective official or member of the Sangguniang Kabataan shall serve for  more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same position. Voluntary renunciation  of office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the  continuity of service for the full term for which the elective official was elected.”

SB 2816 said, "The next regular barangay and Sangguniang  Kabataan elections shall be held on the second Monday of May 2029 and every six (6) years thereafter."

It also states that all incumbent barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan shall remain in office unless sooner removed or suspended  for cause until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

"Samantalang malaki ang bahagi ng budget para sa kanila sana, nasusunog lang naman itong budget sa dami at sa dalas ng eleksyon," Marcos said in her sponsorship speech.

Citing historical data, Marcos said that these officials have been serving an average of 5 years in office because of the various responsibilities heaped on them.

"Furthermore, all elected barangay officials and SK are required to undergo and attend numerous trainings and seminars, adding to the complexity of their already challenging responsibilities. Because of the foregoing, it's hardly surprising, therefore, that from 1982 to 2022, the average term of barangay officials is almost five years. It is evident that three years are grossly inadequate for these officials to comply with their added obligations and at the same time exercise their own discretion in promoting the general welfare of their constituents." Marcos explained. "Finally, this longer term of six years, which was in fact the original term provided for the barangays previously, will negate the reasons commonly advanced for ad hoc extensions of the terms of barangay and SK, much decried by the Supreme Court decision issued last year, that the term is too short, that there is election fatigue, or similar justifications that they felt, indeed, were not valid."

She also wants to re-channel the state funds that will be spent on the elections to other expenses.

"At ngayon, kakampi naman natin ang Department of Budget at lahat ng ating economic managers sapagkat sabi nila ang ginastos sa barangay elections noong nakaraang Oktubre umabot ng 18 billion at baka umabot ng 20 billion sa Desyembre ng 2025,” Marcos also said.

“Aba, kung ang perang ito ay itutok na lang natin sa proyekto na talagang mapapakinabangan ng tao, higit na mas mabuti pa,” Marcos added.

Marcos added that 2025 has been dubbed as a "super election year."

"Kakampiran natin ang Comelec sa usapin na ito. Ayaw din nila ng barangay election sa 2025 kasi magiging super election year na raw ang taon na susunod. May BARMM election na kinakabahan sila pagkat ito ang kauna-unahang historic BARMM election. May midterm elections na automated at para magiging piyesta na ang eleksyon sa Mayo,” Marcos said. 

"In addition, setting the term of barangay officials and members of the SK will assure us that finally, the barangay and SK elections will never coincide with the national and local elections, thus ensuring a more focused and effective governance cycle while at the same time allowing Comelec to have adequate time to ensure peaceful and orderly elections,” she added.

Marcos said that as of September 12, more than 1,100 barangay, city, municipal, and provincial resolutions from all parts of the country as well as 165 resolutions from the SK chapters nationwide have endorsed this measure.

Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. joined Marcos in sponsoring the measure.

"With this proposed measure, we are reinforcing the constitutional policy on local autonomy to give our barangays, as State partners, freedom and independence in charting their destiny for the common welfare of our people,” Revilla said in his speech during the plenary session.

"Dahil sa ikli ng termino nila, kakaupo pa lang sa pwesto, may eleksyon na agad na kakaharapin. Kaya yung mga plano at implementasyon ng programa at proyekto, minsan ay hindi na napagtutuunan ng mas maraming oras at atensyon. Sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng sapat na panahon upang manungkulan, maisasagawa nila ng maayos at kumpleto ang kanilang mga plano para sa kanilang mga pinaglilingkuran sa barangay,” Revilla said.

"After all, realistically speaking, the term limits as they are now set, have been proven to be insufficient to implement long-term programs that will redound to the benefit of our people,” Revilla added.