Dante Gaoat Halaman

Serving as Punong Barangay of Barangay Garit Norte in Echague, Isabela, Dante Gaoat Halaman is currently in the 2023 - 2026 term. The Punong Barangay is the most senior elected official of a Philippine barangay and is responsible for the day-to-day administration of local services.

The Punong Barangay is the chief executive of the barangay, the smallest and most local unit of government in the Philippines. Duties under Section 389 of RA 7160 include enforcing barangay ordinances, organising and leading an emergency response team, calling and presiding over sessions of the Sangguniang Barangay, maintaining public order through the Lupong Tagapamayapa (peace council), and supervising the delivery of basic services to residents.

Barangay Garit Norte is one of 64 barangays in the municipality of Echague, in the province of Isabela, in the Cagayan Valley region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, Barangay Garit Norte had a population of 1,735 residents — the constituency that Dante serves as Punong Barangay. Isabela is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance.

Dante Gaoat Halaman was elected to office in the most recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), which took place on October 30, 2023. Under Republic Act No. 12232, barangay officials elected in 2023 serve four-year terms, meaning the current mandate runs until 2026. The next BSKE is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, per COMELEC Resolution No. 11191.

As an elected Philippine public official, Dante Gaoat Halaman is accountable to the residents of Barangay Garit Norte and must comply with the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160), the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713), and other national laws. Barangay officials are required to file Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and are subject to the oversight of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Office of the Ombudsman.