HOUSEOF REPRESENT ATMWES
RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE:
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 3158

Introduced by REP. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr., REP. RODEL M. BATOCABE and
REP. CHRISTOPHER S. CO

AN ACT EXTENDING THE TERM OF OFFICE OF ELECTIVE BARANGAY
OFFICIALS, POSTPONING THE OCTOBER 2016 BARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANG
KABATAAN ELECTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO.
9164, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9340 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO.
10656, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The country is on the cusp of tremendous change in light of the Duterte
administration's pronouncement that amending the Constitution to institute a uniquely
Filipino federal system in the country to replace the current unitary form of government
is a big ticket item in the national reform agenda.

Proponents of the shift to federalism claim that some of the perennial problems of
the country could be best solved by effecting a meaningful and further devolution of
powers, authority, responsibilities and funds to local government units (LGUs ),
following the spirit and intent of RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.

Indeed, a country divided into more than 42,036 barangays is best primed for
prosperity when its most basic and fundamental political subdivision is meaningfully
empowered to fulfill the interests of its constituents.

Barangay officials are given different mandates and serve several functions
simultaneously—from keeping peace and order to formulating barangay development
programs, from legislating barangay ordinances to resolving barangay-level disputes.
However, the short, three (3) year terms make it difficult for elected barangay officials to
fulfil any of these mandates meaningfully. More often than not, continuous social

services and assistance are rarely delivered.


Hence, the foregoing measure aims to extend the terms of office of elected
barangay officials from three (3) to five (5) years, with a maximum of two (2)
consecutive terms. Doing so will require that the forthcoming barangay elections,
including those for the Sangguniang Kabataan, be postponed from October 2016 to
October 2018. The extension and subsequent postponement of elections will afford
more time for Congress to study how barangays could be further empowered and to
possibly pass reforms and amendments to existing laws-including the Local
Government Code. It will also provide a measure of political stability, as the country
dives head-on into debates on Charter Change.

With the scheduled barangay polls drawing near, the swift passage of the
foregoing measure is earnestly sought.

ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr. RODEL M. BATOCABE CHRIST‘ IER S.CO.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _ 3158 ©

Introduced by HON. RODEL M. BATOCABE, HON. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr. and
HON. CHRISTOPHER S. CO

AN ACT EXTENDING THE TERM OF OFFICE OF ELECTIVE BARANGAY
OFFICIALS, POSTPONING THE OCTOBER 2016 BARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANG
KABATAAN ELECTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO.
9164, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9340 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO.
10656, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 9164, as amended by Republic Act No. 9340
and Republic Act No. 10656, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SECTION. 1. Date of Election. There shall be synchronized barangay and
sangguniang kabataan elections, which shall be held on July 15, 2002
‘Subsequent synchronized barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections
shall be held on the last Monday of October 2007 and every three (3)
years thereafter;

PROVIDED, THAT THE BARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN
ELECTIONS ON OCTOBER 31, 2016 SHALL BE POSTPONED TO THE
LAST MONDAY OF OCTOBER 2018. SUBSEQUENT SYNCHRONIZED
BARANGAY AND SANGGUNINANG KABATAAN ELECTIONS SHALL
BE HELD EVERY FIVE (5) YEARS THEREAFTER."

Section 2. Section 2 of Republic act No. 9164 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION. 2. Term of Office.- The term of office of all barangay and
sangguniang kabataan officials after the effectivity of this Act shall be
FIVE (5) years

No barangay elective official shall serve for more than TWO (2)
consecutive terms in the same position: Provided, however, THAT THE
TERM OF OFFICE OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS ELECTED IN THE
OCTOBER 2013 BARANGAY ELECTIONS AND WHOSE TERM SHALL
BE EXTENDED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT, SHALL BE ELIGIBLE ONLY
FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE TERM. 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.


11
12
13

14
15
16

17
18
19

20
21
22
23
24

Section 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9164 as amended by Republic Act No. 9340,
is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SECTION. 4. Assumption of Office. - The term of office of the barangay
and sangguniang kabataan officials elected under this Act shall
commence at noon of November 30 next following their election.”

Section 4. The Hold-over provision under Republic Act No. 9164 as amended by
Republic Act No. 9340, shall remain applicable and in full force and effect under this Act

Section 5. Appropriations. The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be taken from the appropriations of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)
under the General Appropriations Act and/or supplementary appropriations thereafter.

Section 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The COMELEC shall, within thirty
(30) days after the effectivity of this Act, promulgate such rules and regulations
necessary to implement this Act

Section 7. Separability Clause. If any provision or part hereof is declared
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected shall remain in
full force and effect

Section 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, Presidential Decrees, Executive Orders, rules
and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly

Section 12. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation, whichever comes earlier.

Approved,