An Act Fixing the Term of Office of Barangay Officials and Members of the Sangguniang Kabataan to Five (5) Years, Amending Republic Act No. 12232 or "an Act Setting the Term of Barangay Officials and Members of the Sangguniang Kabataan, and for Other Purposes"
[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12326, September 24, 2026 ]
AN ACT FIXING THE TERM OF OFFICE OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN TO FIVE (5) YEARS, AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12232 OR "AN ACT SETTING THE TERM OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN, 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. 12232 or "AN Act Setting the Term of Office of Barangay Officials and Members of Sangguniang Kabataan, and for Other Purposes" is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SECTION 13.Term of Office.- The term of office of all elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials shall be five (5) years. No elective barangay official shall serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same position. No elective Sangguniang Kabataan official shall serve for more than One (1) term 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. 3.Date of Election.- The next regular barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections shall be held on the second Monday of November 2028 and every five (5) years thereafter." |
SEC. 3.A new Section 4-A is hereby inserted after Section 4 of Republic Act No. 12232, to read as follows:
"SEC. 4-A.Filling Up of Vacancies in Sangguniang Kabataan Membership.- Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, a vacancy in the membership of the Sangguniang Kabataan shall be filled through the appointment by the city or municipal mayor with jurisdiction over the barangay of the concerned Sangguniang Kabataan of any person who meets, as of the date of appointment, the qualifications provided under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 10742 or the "Sannguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015", as amended by Republic Act No. 11768:Provided,That vacancies in the office of the Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson shall not be subject to this provision and shall be filled by succession as provided in Section 19(a) of Republic Act No. 10742, as amended." |
SEC. 4.A new Section 4-B is hereby inserted after the new Section 4-A to read as follows:
"SEC. 4-B.Training and Capacity Building.- Consistent with the five (5)-year term of office established under this Act, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DOLG), in coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Elections (COMELEC), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and other appropriate government agencies, shall institutionalize continuing training and capacity-building programs for barangay officials and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan to strengthen their capacity to perform their duties and responsibilities and to ensure continuity in the implementation of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan programs and projects. Such programs shall, as far as practicable, be coordinated and harmonized to avoid unnecessary duplication and recurring training costs." |
SEC. 5.Section 5 of Republic Act No. 12232 is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 5.Transitory Provision.- Considering the extension of their terms by two (2) years, incumbent elective barangay officials shall be regarded as having completed one (1) term in their respective positions. Incumbent officials serving their last term in the same position in accordance with Section 1 hereof shall be ineligible to run for the same position in the November 2028 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections." |
SEC. 6.Limitation During Transition Period.- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to exempt any incumbent official from pending and future investigations concerning administrative, civil, or criminal cases or liabilities against them, and the consequences thereof during such incumbency:Provided,That incumbent officials with such pending cases may be prevented from sitting during the transition period in accordance with law as may be ordered by the courts or competent authority.
SEC. 7.Appropriations.- The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.
Any unexpended balance of the appropriations authorized for the conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections shall be deemed continuing appropriation of the COMELEC and shall remain available as funding source to cover the preparatory activities for the 2028 National and Local Elections and such other lawful expenditures and purposes as may be determined by the Commission.
SEC. 8.Separability Clause.- If any provision or part of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the remainder hereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 9.Repealing Clause.- All laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are contrary to and inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SEC. 10.Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its publication in theOfficial Gazetteor in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
(SGD.)FAUSTINO "BOJIE" G. DY III | (SGD.)SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN |
Speaker of the House | President of the Senate |
Representatives |
(SGD.)CHELOY E. VELICARIA-GARAFIL | (SGD.)RENATO N. BANTUG, JR. |
Secretary General | Secretary of the Senate |
House of Representatives |
Approved: SEP 24 2026
(SGD.) FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR. |
President of the Philippines |