Powers and Duties.
Section 91
SEC. 91. Powers and Duties.— (1) The sangguniang barangay shall: (a) Enact such ordinance as may be necessary to carry into effect and discharge the responsibilities conferred upon it by law, and such as shall be necessary and proper to promote health and safety, enhance the prosperity and general welfare, improve the morals, and maintain peace and order in the barangay and preserve the comfort and convenience of the inhabitants therein; (b) Provide for the construction and maintenance of barangay roads, bridges, viaducts, sidewalks, playgrounds and parks, school buildings, water supply system, drainage, irrigation, sewerage, public toilet facilities and other public works projects and facilities within the barangay and for this purpose, exercise the power of eminent domain with the approval of the sangguniang bayan or the sangguniang panlungsod; (c) Assist in the establishment, organization and promotion of cooperative enterprises that will improve the economic condition and well-being of the barangay residents. Such enterprises may include credit unions, stocks for the sale or purchase of commodities and produce, warehouses, activities relating to agricultural and livestock production and marketing, fishing, home arts, barangay industries, and other activities which may promote the welfare of the barangay inhabitants; (d) Solicit or accept, in any or all the foregoing public works and cooperative enterprises, such cooperation as is made available by municipal, provincial, city, and national government agencies established by law to render financial, technical and advisory assistance to barangays and to barangay residents: Provided, however, That in soliciting or accepting such cooperation, the sangguniang barangay may not pledge any sum of money for expenditure in excess of amounts currently in the barangay treasury or encumbered for other purposes; (e) Provide compensation or reasonable per diems as well as travel expenses for sangguniang barangay members and other officials in the barangay, subject to the availability of funds: Provided, That the total expenditures for these purposes shall not exceed sixty percent of the total annual income of the barangay, nor should such compensation, per diems, and travel expenses exceed those granted to sangguniang bayan or sangguniang panlungsod members of the municipality or city to which such barangay belongs, or the compensation, per diems, and travel expenses granted to the city or municipal mayor of the same city or municipality; (f) Submit to the sangguniang bayan or sangguniang panlungsod such suggestions or recommendations as it may see fit for the improvement of the barangay or for the welfare of the inhabitants thereof; (g) Hold fund-raising activities for barangay purposes without securing permits from the Ministry of Social Services and Development or from the municipal or city mayor, except when said activities are undertaken outside the barangay, in which event, a permit therefor shall be secured from the city or municipal mayor, as the case may be, who shall fix the period for such activities, and the proceeds from which shall be tax-exempt and shall accrue to the general fund of the barangay: Provided, That in the appropriation thereof, the specific purpose for which such activity has been held shall be first satisfied: Provided, further, That no benefits shall be held in the barangay within a period of sixty days immediately preceding any national or local election; (h) Regulate the use of cement pavements, grain or copra driers or patios, communal irrigation, barangay waterworks, barangay markets or similar projects constructed with government funds for public service within the jurisdiction of the barangay and charge reasonable fees for such use; (i) Organize regular lectures, programs, and community assemblies to enlighten the people on the physical, socio-cultural, moral, civic, political, educational and other matters of public interest; (j) Provide for the organization of such community brigades as may be authorized by law; (k) Enact the annual and supplemental budgets of the barangay in accordance with law; (l) Authorize the punong barangay to enter into contracts in behalf of the barangay; (m) Authorize the barangay treasurer to make direct purchases amounting to not more than three hundred pesos at any one time for the ordinary and essential administrative needs of the barangay; (n) Act on the resignation of sangguniang barangay members and other officers of the barangay; (o) Recommend from time to time to the city or municipal assessor, through the sangguniang panlungsod or sangguniang bayan, the reassessment of real properties located in the barangay; (p) Whenever feasible, initiate the organization of a barangay high school in accordance with law; (q) Prescribe fines of not more than five hundred pesos for violation of barangay ordinances; (r) Provide for the proper development and welfare of the children in the barangay and deal with the problem of juvenile delinquency in consonance with existing laws and, for this purpose, encourage the organization within the barangay of a local council in which the kabataang barangay shall be represented; (s) In coordination with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, establish a non-formal education center in the barangay which shall provide education and training to adults and out-of-school youth to enable them to acquire skills for industry and agriculture; improve the literacy of those who cannot avail of the facilities of formal education; prepare them for productive activities by developing their self-reliance, proper attitude and behavior towards work and implement the non-formal educational policies and programs of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports and other agencies of the government; (t) Accept or solicit monies, materials and voluntary labor for specific public works and cooperative enterprises of the barangay from residents, landholders, producers and merchants in the barangay; monies from grants-in-aid, subsidies, contributions, and revenues made available to the barangays from municipal, city, provincial or national funds; and monies from private agencies and individuals: Provided, That monies or properties donated by private agencies and individuals for specific purposes shall accrue to the barangay as a special trust fund for that purpose.; and (u) Exercise such powers as are necessary to carry out the foregoing provisions or which may be provided by law or ordinance. (2) The expenses for the construction and maintenance of public works projects referred to in subparagraph (b) of this section shall be chargeable to the barangay development fund or other funds actually available for the purpose. (3) Any contract authorized under subparagraph (1) of this section conveying real property or interest therein or creating a lien upon the same, shall be approved by the mayor. (4) No contract involving the expenditure of two thousand pesos or more shall be entered into or authorized until the barangay treasurer shall have certified to the sangguniang barangay that funds have been duly appropriated for such purpose and the amount necessary to cover the proposed contract is available for expenditure on account thereof. Such certificate shall be attached to the contract as part thereof and the sum so certified shall not thereafter be made available for expenditure for any other purpose until the said contract is lawfully abrogated or executed at no cost to the barangay.