{{Short description|Highest elected official in a barangay (Philippines)}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2012}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Use Philippine English|date=January 2023}} {{Politics of the Philippines}}
A '''barangay captain''' ({{langx|fil|kapitan ng barangay}}),{{efn|Commonly shortened to as '''''kap'''''}} or a '''barangay chairman''' ({{langx|fil|punong barangay|link=no}}), is the highest elected official in a [[barangay]], the smallest level of [[administrative divisions of the Philippines]]. [[Sitio]]s and [[purok]]s are sub-divisions of barangays, but their leadership is not elected. As of March 2022, there are 42,046 barangays and therefore 42,046 barangay captains.<ref name="PSA 2022 number of provinces, cities and barangays">{{Citation |last=Philippine Statistics Authority |title=Provincial Summary: Number of Provinces, Cities, Municipalities and Barangays, by Region: As of 31 March 2022 |date=2022 |url=https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/downloads/PSGC%201Q%202022%20Provincial%20Summary.pdf |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority |access-date=June 1, 2022 |mode=cs1}}</ref>
The current position was created in 1991 and is a successor to historical positions known variously as ''[[cabeza de barangay]]'', barrio lieutenant, and barrio captain.{{cn|date=August 2022}}
Along with the college of [[barangay councilor]]s, captains comprise the [[Sangguniang Barangay]] (barangay council). They perform many official government duties, and execute minor [[judicial]] powers as part of the [[Barangay Justice System]], such as settling disputes between neighbors. Viewed as village elders, they also work informally with many organizations.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
Captains are elected for three-year terms, although this may be modified due to election postponements.<ref>{{cite web |title=SC Declares Unconstitutional Law Postponing Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, Orders the Conduct of Elections in October 2023, Issues Guidelines for Validity of Rules Postponing Elections |url=https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-declares-unconstitutional-law-postponing-barangay-and-sangguniang-kabataan-elections-orders-the-conduct-of-elections-in-october-2023-issues-guidelines-for-validity-of-rules-postponing-elections/ |publisher=Supreme Court of the Philippines |date=27 June 2023 |access-date=2 December 2024}}</ref> Their [[2023 Philippine barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections|most recent elections]] were held on October 30, 2023.
== History == {{Expand section|date=October 2012}}
While the current structure dates only to the 1970s, the concept of a village leader has a long history, as it was already evident amongst [[Barangay (pre-colonial)|pre-colonial barangays]]. During the [[History of the Philippines (1521–1898)|Spanish era]], the office was known by the title ''[[cabeza de barangay]]'' (literally, "head of the barangay"), and was an unelected post.
At the beginning of the [[History of the Philippines|American colonial period]], the office was renamed barrio lieutenant. Under the [[Administrative Code of 1917]], passed by the [[Philippine Assembly]], these too were not elected but rather appointed by and under the supervision of the city councilor for the barrio.<ref name="AdminCode1917">{{Citation |title=Administrative Code of 1917 |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1916/12/31/act-no-2657/ |mode=cs1 |via=Official Gazette}}</ref> Councillors were elected at that time by [[electoral district]]s. Barrio lieutenants received no pay or other compensation.<ref name="AdminCode1917" /> The lieutenant was to assist the city councilor and his term ended when the councilor's term ended.<ref name="AdminCode1917" />
During the American colonial period and after [[Independence Day (Philippines)|independence]] in 1946, barangays were known as [[barrio]]s and barangay leaders were known as '''barrio lieutenants'''. In the U.S. the most similar political position to a barangay captain is a [[county executive]] (though the US counterpart covers more land and has more population on average than a Filipino barangay), the US colonial administration of the Philippines helped model the barangay captain's powers to that more of a US county executive.
In 1991, the position took its present name and form with amendments to the [[Local Government Code]].
== Responsibilities == {{Expand section|date=June 2022}} The captain, along with the barangay councilors (''[[barangay kagawad]])'' comprise the [[sangguniang barangay]] or barangay council. Apart from performing many official government duties, they also execute minor [[judicial]] powers as part of the [[Barangay Justice System]], such as settling disputes between neighbors. They also work informally with many organizations at the local level.
Republic Act No. 10755 authorized the ''punong barangay'' to administer the oath of office of any government official, including the [[president of the Philippines]] and the [[vice president of the Philippines]].
== Compensation == Barangay officials receive a salary of between [[Philippine peso|₱]]600 and ₱1,000 a month as per the Local Government Code.<ref name="PanayNews2014">{{Cite news |last=Golez |first=Prince |date=January 26, 2014 |title=GSIS Coverage for Brgy Execs Mulled |work=Panay News |url=http://www.panaynewsphilippines.com/top-stories/12648-gsis-coverage-for-brgy-execs-mulled.html |url-status=dead |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202224756/http://www.panaynewsphilippines.com/top-stories/12648-gsis-coverage-for-brgy-execs-mulled.html |archive-date=February 2, 2014}}</ref> They receive other forms of compensation as well.
== See also == * [[Precolonial barangay]] * [[Cabeza de barangay]] * [[League of Barangays of the Philippines]] * [[Poblacion]] * [[List of cities and municipalities in the Philippines]] * [[Pecalang]] and [[Hansip]]
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Philippines political divisions}} {{Types of administrative country subdivision}} {{Articles on fourth-level administrative divisions of countries}} {{Philippines topics}}
[[Category:Barangays of the Philippines]] [[Category:Local politicians in the Philippines]] [[Category:Positions of subnational authority]]