Benjie Alapan Bacala

Benjie Alapan Bacala is the current Punong Barangay of Barangay Juaton in Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines, serving the 2023 - 2026 term. The position — also commonly referred to as Barangay Captain — is the elected head of the barangay's local government unit.

As the head of the smallest tier of Philippine local government, the Punong Barangay is responsible for everything from maintaining peace and order within the barangay to supervising the Barangay Development Plan, enforcing national and local laws within the barangay boundaries, and representing residents in the wider city or municipal government. The position is held for a four-year term under Republic Act No. 12232.

Barangay Juaton is one of 110 barangays in Ormoc City, in the province of Leyte, in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, Barangay Juaton had a population of 2,282 residents — the constituency that Benjie serves as Punong Barangay. Leyte is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance.

Benjie Alapan Bacala 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, Benjie Alapan Bacala is accountable to the residents of Barangay Juaton 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.