Barangay captain

The Punong Barangay, commonly known as the Barangay Captain and less commonly Barangay Chairman, is the highest elected official in a barangay, the smallest of the elected administrative divisions of the Philippines. Sitios and puroks are sub-divisions of barangays but their leadership is not elected. As of September 2012, there are 42,028 barangays and therefore 42,028 barangay captains.

The current position was established by the 1991 Local Government Code and is a successor to positions known variously as Cabeza de Barangay, Barrio Lieutenant, and Barrio Captain.

Along with the Barangay Kagawad, or Barangay Councilors, the captains are members of the Sangguniang Barangay, or Barangay Council and perform many official government duties. They also work informally with a number of organizations. They are viewed as the village elders. They also perform some minor judicial functions as part of Barangay Justice System, such as handling disputes between neighbors.

They are elected for three-year terms. The 2013 Philippine barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections were held October 28, 2013.

Barangay captains, along with other barangay officials, get paid between 600 and 1,000 Philippine pesos a month under the Local Government Code. They receive other compensation as well.

While the current set-up is relatively recent, the position of barangay captain as a long history dating back to pre-colonial barangays. During the Spanish era, the position was known as the Cabeza de Barangay, or "head of the barangay". The position was not elected.

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