House approves five-year terms for barangay, SK officials

MANILA — The House of Representatives has given its approval to House Bill No. 10971, which seeks to establish a fixed five-year term for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) executives nationwide. The measure passed during Tuesday's session with 211 lawmakers voting in favor, signaling broad legislative support for the proposed extension.

Under the bill's provisions, barangay and SK officials would be limited to a maximum of two successive terms through reelection for the same position. The legislation represents a significant change to the current term structure for local government units at the grassroots level.

The approval marks a key milestone in the legislative process, though the measure will still need to pass the Senate and secure the President's signature before becoming law. Local government officials and political observers have closely tracked the bill's progress, as changes to barangay and SK term limits affect governance structures across the country's more than 42,000 barangays.