Barangay councils in the Philippines


The Sangguniang Barangay known commonly as the Barangay Council, and formerly as the Rural Council and then the Barrio Council, is the legislative body of a barangay, the lowest elected government in the Philippines.
The term is coined from the Tagalog words "sanggunian" and "baranggay" which means "barangay advisory council".
Each Sanggunian is headed by a Barangay Captain, and comprises seven members all titled kagawad, and the Chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan, the barangay's youth council, for a total of eight members.
As a collegiate body, a Sanggunian primarily passes ordinances and resolutions for the effective administration of the barangay. Its powers and functions are defined by the Local Government Code of 1991.

History

During the American Colonial Period, appointed Rural Councils were created, with four councillors assisting the council's Barrio Lieutenant, now known as the Barangay Captain. The body was later renamed Barrio Council.
The 1959 Barrio Charter Act, passed after Philippine independence in 1946, changed the council from being appointed to elected.