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".
It passes ordinances and resolutions for the effective administration of the barangay. Its powers and functions are defined by the Local Government Code of 1991.
The council is headed by the barangay captain, who is also the barangay's chief executive, and is composed of seven kagawads or members, known also as barangay councilors, and until the 2014 elections, the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman.
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.