Sangguniang Bayan

The Sangguniáng Bayan (Filipino: Municipal Council) is the local legislative branch of the municipal governments in the Philippines. It is responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions for the administration of a municipality. Its powers are defined by the Local Government Code, passed by the Congress in 1991.

The municipal vice mayor is the ex officio presiding officer of the Sangguniáng Bayan, although he has no voting privilege except in cases to break a deadlock. In the absence of the vice mayor, a temporary presiding officer is elected by the Sangguniáng Bayan councilors present at the session.

All municipalities in the Philippines, with the exception of Pateros in Metro Manila, have eight regular members or councilors elected at-large. In the case of Pateros, its Sangguniang Bayan is composed of twelve elected councilors, wherein six are elected from each of the two districts Pateros is divided into.

There are also three ex officio councilors — the municipal chapter presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangay, Pederasyon ng Sangguniang Kabataan and the IP Representative which is pursuant to the Republic Act 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, that calls for the mandatory representation of IPs and it is formally certified by the concerned NCIP regional director, upon recommendation of the provincial or community service center head and shall serve for a period of three years from the date of assumption to office and can be re-endorsed for another term as long as he or she would not serve for more than three consecutive terms.

The Local Government Code provides for an additional three sectoral representatives representing: women, laborers, and any of the urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, disabled persons or another sector that may be identified by the Sangguniang Bayan; however, this provision still has to be implemented.

Elected or regular members of the Sangguniang Bayan must at least be 18 years old on election day; the first-past-the-post voting system is used to elect these members. They are elected for a three-year term and may serve up to three consecutive terms. Elections are held simultaneously with the general elections held every three years since 1992. The term begins at noon of June 30 following election day, and ends at noon of June 30 of the third year.

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