Barangay Internal Rules of Procedure (IRP)

Regular or special, Internal rules of procedure (IRP),  are needed for the efficient conduct of sessions. These rules put order in transactions and clarify the duties and responsibilities of sangguniang barangay members during meeting and sessions. In Article 103 of the IRR of RA7160 states that IRP must either be adopted or updated on the first regular session of the sangguniang barangay following the election of its members and within 90 days thereof.

For seasoned barangay officials, terms used in the IRP are already a given. Some of these terms are adjourn, agenda, assembly, debate, floor, point of information, quorum, among others. The minimum requirements of the IRP is also provided, as follows:

• the organization of the sanggunian and the election of its officers as well as the creation of standing committees which shall include, but shall not be limited to, the committee on (a) appropriations, (b) women and family, (c) human rights, (d) youth and sports development, (e) environmental protection, and (f) cooperative; the general jurisdiction of each committees, and the election of the chairman and members of each committees
• the order and calendar of business for each session;
• the legislative process;
• the parliamentary procedures which include the conduct of members during sessions;
• the discipline of members for disorderly behavior and absences without justifiable cause for four (4) consecutive sessions, for which they may be censured, reprimanded, or excluded from the session, suspended for not more than 60 days, or expelled. Provided, that the penalty of suspension or expulsion shall require the concurrence of at least two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the sanggunian members. Provided, further, that a member convicted by final judgment to imprisonment of at least one (1) year for any crime involving moral turpitude shall be automatically expelled from the sanggunian;
• Such other rules as the sanggunian may adopt.

A suggested IRP outline is provided below:
a) Rule 1 - Composition
b) Rule II - Powers, Duties and Functions of the Sanggunian
c) Rule III - Duties and Responsibilities of Individual Members
d) Rule IV - Presiding Officer
e) Rule V - Temporary Presiding Officer
f) Rule VI - Regular and Special Sessions
g) Rule VII - Quorum
h) Rule VIII - Order of Business
i) Rule IX - Legislative Process
j) Rule X - votes and voting
k) Rule XI - Rules on Debates and Amendments
l) Rule XII - Committees
m) rule XIII - Committee Reports
n) Rule XIV - Journal and Record of Proceedings
o) Rule XV -  Rules on Motion
p) Rule XVI - Disciplinary Actions
q) Rule XVII - Suspension of Rules