A Senate panel has approved proposed bills that would extend the term of office for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from four to five years and postpone the upcoming elections, according to reports. The action came during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Local Government presided over by Senator Francis "Chis" Escudero. The committee directed its secretariat to draft a report reflecting the amendments and inputs from resource persons, with the report expected to be completed this week for plenary deliberation.

Escudero, who chairs the committee, said the amendments would consider, among other things, decoupling, the Commission on Elections' points on appropriations and the election date, as well as the positions of the PPCRV and Namfrel that elections proceed as scheduled with the five-year term to begin thereafter.

The move advances two related measures. One is Senate Bill 2387, filed by Escudero, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 12232, the law setting the term of office of barangay officials and SK members. The other is Senate Bill 2067, filed by Senator Imee Marcos, which proposes moving the barangay and SK elections from November 2026 to October 2027, citing that the 2026 date falls on All Souls' Day.

According to The Manila Times, the baranggayan and SK elections are scheduled for November 2. The Senate panel's approval was reported by The Manila Times, which noted that the bill also fixes the term from four to five years.

The measure has since reached the Senate plenary. Rappler reported that Escudero sponsored the committee report on Tuesday, August 25, and that the measure seeks to postpone the November 2 elections to the second Monday of November 2028 and every five years thereafter.

"Having heard the views of our stakeholders, both for and against, the committee has concluded that a five-year term strikes a better policy balance," Escudero said in his sponsorship speech, as quoted by Rappler. The committee report was signed by 16 senators.

A Term-Fixing, Not Postponement, Bill?

Escudero has publicly emphasized that his bill does not simply postpone the elections but fixes the term of office at five years. In comments reported by The Manila Times during the committee hearing, he said, "My bill does not extend. My bill fixes." According to the same report, he argued that the natural effect of the measure is to postpone the upcoming election, but the subject matter is "fixing the term." He also said the measure promotes stability and continuity in governance and breaks the cycle of repeated congressional postponements, preventing local elections from repeatedly overlapping with national elections.

The Manila Times also quoted Escudero as saying that the transition would count existing terms to ensure fairness, preventing incumbent officials from benefiting from an extension. The bill also seeks to enable local leaders to focus on long-term community development, disaster response, and peace and order without disruptions.

Using the constitutional foundation, Escudero pointed out that Congress has the power to set election dates, and he said the bill is a "term-setting measure," enacted under Article X, Section 8 of the Constitution, reflecting the principles recognized in Macalintal v. Senate, as reported by Rappler. He called barangay and SK officials "planners, implementers, first responders, peacekeepers, conciliators, and frontline service providers."

The Manila Times also reported that Escudero, in his sponsorship speech, cited precedents from 1988 and 1998, when Congress prescribed similar five-year terms.

Timing and Next Steps

With the next scheduled BSKE on November 2 (as per The Manila Times) and over two months until then, the Senate is expected to debate the bill. Rappler noted that the Senate has over two months before the scheduled November 2 elections. After the Senate's approval, the bill will be transmitted to the House of Representatives.

In his sponsorship speech, Escudero described the measure as ensuring that elections remain "regular, periodic, and certain," with the electorate knowing when the next election will occur.

At the committee level, Escudero said the report will reflect the amendments proposed by parties, including the decoupling, the COMEEL's points, and the PPCRV and Namfrel stance. He stated that these, along with the amendments, would be incorporated into the committee report.

As of this reporting, the committee is expected to finalize the report this week, and the bill is now on the Senate plenary for debate.