The House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 16, adopted the Senate version of a bill extending the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from four years to five years, allowing the measure to be transmitted directly to Malacañang for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval.
The move effectively brings the proposed term extension closer to becoming law and would postpone the Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE) originally scheduled for November 2026.
The Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2387 on third and final reading on September 14, while the House had earlier approved its counterpart, House Bill No. 10971, on September 8.
During the House plenary session, Deputy Majority Leader Bernadette Escudero moved for the chamber to adopt the Senate measure as an amendment to its approved bill.
“We have been informed that the Committee on Good Government, sponsor of [HB] 10971, as well as the authors thereof, is in concurrence with the provisions of [SB] 2387. In accordance with our rules, I move to adopt [SB] 2387 as an amendment to [HB] 10971,” Escudero said.
Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco, who was presiding over the session, approved the motion after no lawmaker raised an objection.
The House and Senate would normally convene a Bicameral Conference Committee to reconcile differences between their respective versions of a bill. Since the House agreed to adopt the Senate version, however, a bicameral meeting was no longer necessary.
Under SB 2387, the BSKE set for November 2, 2026 would be moved to the second Monday of November 2028, with succeeding elections to be held every five years.
The measure also provides that incumbent barangay officials whose terms are extended by two years will be considered to have completed one term.
Those who are already serving their third consecutive term would not be allowed to run for the same position in the November 2028 elections.
The proposed law would continue to prohibit barangay officials from serving more than two consecutive terms in the same position. For SK officials, the existing one-term limit would remain in place.
The last BSKE was held in 2023.
With the House’s adoption of the Senate version, the measure can proceed to Malacañang for presidential action, subject to the remaining constitutional requirements for enactment.