Nenita Alvarez Acoba

Nenita Alvarez Acoba is the current Punong Barangay of Barangay Jose Laurel, Sr. in Santa Maria, Laguna, 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.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, the Punong Barangay leads the Sangguniang Barangay, signs ordinances and resolutions, represents the barangay in transactions with other government units, administers the barangay budget and appropriations, and oversees the Lupong Tagapamayapa that handles amicable settlement of disputes at the barangay level. The office is the most directly accountable elected position in the Philippine government.

Barangay Jose Laurel, Sr. is one of 25 barangays in the municipality of Santa Maria, in the province of Laguna, in the CALABARZON region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, Barangay Jose Laurel, Sr. had a population of 691 residents — the constituency that Nenita serves as Punong Barangay. Laguna is classified as a 1st by the Bureau of Local Government Finance.

Nenita Alvarez Acoba 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, Nenita Alvarez Acoba is accountable to the residents of Barangay Jose Laurel, Sr. 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.