Bongbong wants 5-year term for barangay officials

Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Saturday he will push for a five-year term for barangay officials, if he wins the presidency.

“Wag na tayong extend nang extend, postpone nang postpone, palitan na natin ‘yung batas para ang termino ng barangay official ay limang taon na at three-term limit,” Marcos Jr. said in his remarks during a meet and greet with barangay officials in Parañaque City.

Marcos Jr. argued that barangay elections have been repeatedly rescheduled.

“Kung titingnan natin ang kasaysayan ng barangay elections sa kaka-extend natin mula sa simula na nag-postpone ng halalan ay on average ay five years na nakaupo,” he said. 

For several times since 1988, barangay elections had been postponed.

In 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11462 or the postponement of the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to December 2022.

Under the law, village elections after the December elections will be conducted on the first Monday of December 2025 and every three years thereafter.

Instead of postponing barangay elections, Bongbong is proposing to amend the Local Government Code.

“Gawin natin ang termino ng barangay official ay limang taon na talaga. Ang term limit [ay] tatlong termino rin,” he said.

On the other hand, Marcos' running-mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, said she will push for the standardization of barangay officials’ honorarium.

“Lagi po naming sinasabi na dapat simulan ang pagplano at discussion sa standardization ng compensation o honorarium ng functionaries ng mga tao natin sa barangay para sa buong Pilipinas,” Sara said. —LBG, GMA News