Barangay elections
{{Short description|Smallest level of local elections in the Philippines}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2012}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Politics of Philippines}}
Barangay elections are elections in the Philippines in the barangays, the smallest of the administrative divisions in the Philippines. Barangays make up cities and municipalities and in turn are made up of sitios and puroks, whose leaders are not elected. Voters of each barangay over 18 years old are eligible to vote for one barangay captain and seven barangay councilors. Together, the barangay captain and barangay councilors make up the Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council). Voters aged 15 to 30 years old vote in elections for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK): one SK chairperson and seven SK councilors during the same election. The winning SK chairperson serves as a member of the barangay council.
Barangay captains and SK chairmen are elected via first-past-the-post voting system, while barangay and SK councilors are elected via the plurality-at-large voting system with one barangay as an at-large "district".
While candidates are nominally nonpartisan and do not represent political parties, slates consisting of a candidate for a barangay captain and seven barangay councilor candidates are not uncommon; SK slates are also sometimes connected to a slate of a barangay captain. Winning candidates serve for a term of three years, with reelection of up to two more times. Terms of office for barangay officials are usually extended when elections are postponed as a cost-saving measure.
Winning barangay captains in a certain municipality or city elect amongst themselves an Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president that will serve as their representative in the Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) or Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council). ABC presidents in a certain province will elect amongst their representative in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board). ABC presidents in provincial boards and city councils not under a jurisdiction of a province elect amongst themselves a national president and other officials of the League of Barangays of the Philippines.
SK chairmen undergo a similar series of indirect elections at every level, although there is no national leadership at the beginning of 2018.
History
In a 1981 referendum, the electorate was asked if barangay elections should be done after the concurrently-held presidential election; the electorate carried the proposal. The Barangay Election Act of 1982 prescribed that the election shall be on May 17, 1982, terms start on June 7, and that terms shall be for six years.
Postponing barangay elections was done several times despite the 1987 Constitution and special laws like the Local Government Code of 1991 but in 2023, the Supreme Court held that the succeeding synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) shall be held on the first Monday of December 2025, and every three (3) years thereafter, pursuant to [https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2019/12/03/republic-act-no-11462/ Republic Act No. 11462]. The SC Public Information Office added: "More significantly, the said Decision laid down the criteria to serve as guidelines and principles for the bench, the bar, and the public as regards any government action that seeks to postpone any elections."{{cite web|title=SC Denies the Office of the Solicitor General’s Motion for Reconsideration from the Declaration of Unconstitutionality of Republic Act No. 11935|url=https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-denies-the-office-of-the-solicitor-generals-motion-for-reconsideration-from-the-declaration-of-unconstitutionality-of-republic-act-no-11935/|date=October 24, 2023|accessdate=December 12, 2023|website=Supreme Court of the Philippines}}
According to law expert Michael Henry Yusingco, political dynasties continue to victimize barangay elections, the latest results of which made genuine political competition impossible.{{cite web|url=https://archium.ateneo.edu/asog-pubs/263/|title=Barangay Assembly: A Citizen-Led Reinvigoration of Political Discourse and Civic Engagement in the Philippines|date=July 31, 2023|accessdate=December 12, 2023|website=Ateneo.edu}}{{cite web|url=https://asaa.asn.au/how-political-dynasties-undermine-local-governance-in-the-philippines/|title=How political dynasties undermine local governance in the Philippines|date=September 24, 2015|accessdate=December 12, 2023|website=Asian Studies Association of Australia}}
= Elections since 1982 =
| class="wikitable"
|+Sangguniang Barangay ! rowspan="2" |Date ! rowspan="2" |Law ! colspan="2" |Term ! rowspan="2" |Status ! rowspan="2" |Total barangays ! colspan="2" |Turnout{{Cite web |title=COMPARATIVE STATISTICS ON TOTAL NO. OF REGISTERED VOTERS (1982 TO 2022 BARANGAY ELECTIONS) |url=https://comelec.gov.ph/php-tpls-attachments/2022BSKE/Statistics/Stats_B_VotersTurnOut.pdf |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Comelec}} |
| Years
!Started !Total !% |
|---|
| May 17, 1982
|[https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/2/13691 BP 222] |6 |June 7, 1982 |Completed | |19,302,910 |66.35% |
| May 9, 1988
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/index.html?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA6653 RA 6653] | rowspan="3" |5 |January 1, 1989 |Postponed to November 1988 | | colspan="2" |— |
| November 14, 1988
| rowspan="2" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA6679 RA 6679] |— |Postponed to 1989 | | colspan="2" |— |
| March 28, 1989
|May 1, 1989 |Completed |~42,000 |18,876,334 |67.50% |
| May 9, 1994
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/RA7160/LGCB1/LGCB1T2/LGCB1T2Ch1#sec43 RA 7160] |3 |May 9, 1994 |Completed |~42,000 |22,670,532 |64.75% |
| May 12, 1997
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA8524 RA 8524] |5 |May 12, 1997 |Completed |~42,000 |24,322,413 |63.78% |
| July 15, 2002
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA9164 RA 9164] | rowspan="12" |3 |August 15, 2002 |Completed |~42,000 |26,533,451 |70.30% |
| October 31, 2005
| rowspan="4" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA9340 RA 9340] |— |Postponed to 2007 | rowspan="2" |41,995 | colspan="2" |— |
| October 29, 2007
|November 30, 2007 |Completed |31,979,309 |68.14% |
| October 25, 2010
|November 30, 2010 |Completed |42,095 |34,154,174 |70.80% |
| October 28, 2013
|November 30, 2013 |Completed |42,028 |38,721,421 |72.11% |
| October 30, 2016
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA10923 RA 10923] |— |Postponed to 2017 | rowspan="3" |41,948 | colspan="2" |— |
| October 29, 2017
| rowspan="2" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA10952 RA 10952] |— |Postponed to 2018 | colspan="2" |— |
| May 14, 2018
|June 30, 2018 |Completed |39,977,516 |69.67% |
| May 12, 2020
| rowspan="2" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA11462 RA 11462] |— |Postponed to 2022 | rowspan="3" |42,001 | colspan="2" |— |
| December 5, 2022
|— |Postponed to 2023 | colspan="2" |— |
| October 30, 2023
|[https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2022/10oct/20221010-RA-11935-RRD.pdf RA 11935] |January 1, 2024 |Completed |{{TBA|To be determined}} | |
| December 1, 2025
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA11462 RA 11462] |January 1, 2026 |Scheduled | | | |
| class="wikitable"
|+Sangguniang Kabataan ! rowspan="2" |Date ! rowspan="2" |Law ! colspan="2" |Term ! rowspan="2" |Age range ! rowspan="2" |Status ! rowspan="2" |Synched with ! rowspan="2" |Total barangays ! colspan="2" |Turnout{{Cite web |title=COMPARATIVE STATISTICS ON TOTAL NO. OF REGISTERED VOTERS (1992 TO 2022 SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN (SK) ELECTIONS) |url=https://comelec.gov.ph/php-tpls-attachments/2022BSKE/Statistics/Stats_SK_VotersTurnOut.pdf |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Comelec}} |
| Years
!Started !Total !% |
|---|
| December 4, 1992
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/RA7160/LGCB4/LGCB4T3#sec532a RA 7160] | rowspan="3" |3 | | rowspan="4" |15–21 |Completed |{{No}} |~42,000 |3,227,926 |77.20% |
| May 9, 1994
| rowspan="2" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA7808 RA 7808] |— |Postponed to 1996 |{{N/A}} |~42,000 | colspan="2" |— |
| May 6, 1996
| |Completed |{{No}} |~42,000 |3,340,926 |77.89% |
| May 9, 2001
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA8524 RA 8524] |5 |— |Postponed to 2002 |{{N/A}} |~42,000 | colspan="2" |— |
| July 15, 2002
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA9164 RA 9164] | rowspan="12" |3 |August 15, 2002 | rowspan="6" |15–18 |Completed |{{Yes}} |~42,000 |1,980,829 |77.37% |
| October 31, 2005
| rowspan="3" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA9340 RA 9340] |— |Postponed to 2007 |{{N/A}} |41,995 | colspan="2" |— |
| October 29, 2007
|November 30, 2007 |Completed |{{Yes}} |41,995 |2,542,408 |85.29% |
| October 25, 2010
|November 30, 2010 |Completed |{{Yes}} |42,095 |2,101,405 |90.54% |
| October 28, 2013
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA10632 RA 10632] |— |Postponed up to 2015 |{{Yes}} |42,028 | colspan="2" |— |
| October 30, 2016
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA10656 RA 10656] |— |Postponed to 2017 |{{N/A}} |41,948 | colspan="2" |— |
| October 29, 2017
| rowspan="2" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA10742 RA 10742] |— | rowspan="6" |15–30 |Postponed to 2018 |{{N/A}} |41,948 | colspan="2" |— |
| May 14, 2018
|June 30, 2018 |Completed |{{Yes}} |41,948 |13,529,267 |65.51% |
| May 12, 2020
| rowspan="2" |[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA11462 RA 11462] |— |Postponed to 2022 |{{N/A}} | rowspan="3" |42,001 | colspan="2" |— |
| December 5, 2022
|— |Postponed to 2023 |{{N/A}} | colspan="2" |— |
| October 30, 2023
|[https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2022/10oct/20221010-RA-11935-RRD.pdf RA 11935] |January 1, 2023 |Completed |{{Yes}} |{{TBA|To be determined}} | |
| December 1, 2025
|[https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=References/RelatedLaws/ElectionLaws/SynchronizedBarangayandSK/RA11462 RA 11462] |January 1, 2026 |Scheduled |{{Yes}} | | | |
Indirect elections
=Barangay captain=
{{Tree chart/start|summary=Barangay captain indirect elections}}
{{Tree chart|BM||BC||BH||BM=Barangay captain|BC=Barangay captain|BH=Barangay captain}}
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{{Tree chart|MP||CP||HUC|MP=Municipal chapter|CP=Component city chapter|HUC=Highly urbanized
or
independent component
city chapter}}
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{{Tree chart||`|-|-|PC|||!|PM=Provincial chapter|PC=Provincial chapter}}
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=SK chairperson=
{{Tree chart/start|summary=SK chairperson indirect elections}}
{{Tree chart|BM||BC||BH||BM=SK chairperson|BC=SK chairperson|BH=SK chairperson}}
{{Tree chart||!||||!||||!|}}
{{Tree chart|MP||CP||HUC|MP=Municipal chapter|CP=Component city chapter|HUC=Highly urbanized
or
independent component
city chapter}}
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{{Tree chart||`|-|-|PC||||PM=Provincial chapter|PC=Provincial chapter}}{{Tree chart/end}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.comelec.gov.ph Comelec.gov.ph: official Commission on Elections website]
- [http://www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/RA%209340.pdf Senate.gov.ph: Republic Act No. 9340]
{{Philippine elections|state = collapsed}}
{{Philippine local, barangay and Sangguiniang Kabataan elections|state = collapsed}}
{{Philippines political divisions}}