Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 41

Introduced by REP. FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It has been the long-standing policy of the State to enable and equip local government units
with the necessary powers "to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities and
make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals.”

The most effective governors are those who spend time and are the closest to the governed.
Elective barangay officials are the closest government officials to our constituents. They are
the first responders, the first to aid, "unang takbuhan." As Members of the honorable chamber
of the Lower House, we are aware that three (3) years is too short of a term to affect services
and policies that will bring valuable and meaningful change to the community.

To extend the term limit of elective barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan is to help
the national government unload its already heavy burden on providing services and reaching
out to our people.

Accordingly, I am one with our barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan on empowering
and enabling them to affect meaningful and valuable change by giving them the most precious

resource of all, TIME.
REP. oA hare )” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 41

Introduced by REP. FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D.

AN ACT
CHANGING THE TERM OF OFFICE OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF
THE SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN FROM THREE (3) TO FIVE (5) YEARS,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 43 (c) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, AS
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

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

SECTION 1. Section 43 (c) of Republic Act No. 7160, as amended by Republic Acts
Numbered 8524, 9164, 9340, 10632, 10656, 10923, and 10952, otherwise known as the Local
Government Code of 1991, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 43. Term of Office. — (a) The term of all elective officials after the
effectivity of this Code shall be three (3) years, starting from noon of June 30, 1992 or
such date as may be provided for by law, except that of elective barangay officials and
members of the Sangguniang Kabataan: Provided, That all local officials first elected
during the local elections immediately following the ratification of the 1987 Constitution
shall serve until noon of June 30, 1992.

(b) No local elective official shall serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms
in the same position. Voluntary renunciation of the 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 concerned was elected.

(c) The term of barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan
shall be for five (5) years, which shall begin after the SYNCHRONIZED regular
lection of barangay officials AND MEMBERS OF THE SANGGUNIANG
KABATAAN on the second Monday of May [1997] 2023, AND EVERY FIVE (5)
YEARS THEREAFTER. [Provided, That the Sangguniang Kabataan members who
were elected in the May 1996 elections shall serve until the next regular election of
barangay officials.]

NO BARANGAY ELECTIVE OFFICIAL 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."


SEC. 2. The term of office of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials elected in
the May 2023 elections and subsequently thereafter, shall commence at noon of June 30 next
following their election.

SEC. 3. All incumbent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials shall remain in
office unless sooner removed or suspended for cause until their successors shall have been
elected and qualified. The provisions of the Omnibus Election Code relative to the failure of
elections and special elections are hereby reiterated in this Act.

SEC. 4. All laws, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

3C. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,