Executive summary

Under Philippine law, “barangay coordinator” and “zone president” are not standard, statutory positions created by the Local Government Code of 1991 (LGC). Any authority either one wields is derivative—it must come from (a) national law or regulations, (b) a city/municipal ordinance, (c) a barangay ordinance or written designation by the Punong Barangay, or (d) the internal rules of a private association (e.g., a homeowners’ association). Absent a valid legal or written delegation, neither position has inherent authority over the other. In practice, who can “direct” whom depends on the source and scope of the mandate.

Statutory baseline: who holds official power in a barangay?

The LGC expressly creates and empowers:

Punong Barangay (Barangay Captain) — chief executive of the barangay; exercises general supervision and control over barangay programs, personnel, and the enforcement of ordinances.
Sangguniang Barangay (Barangay Council) — legislative body that enacts barangay ordinances and approves the budget.
Sangguniang Kabataan — youth council.
Barangay Treasurer & Barangay Secretary — appointed officials with defined administrative functions (on recommendation of the Punong Barangay and with council concurrence).
Barangay Tanod/Peace and Order, BDRRM committees, Lupong Tagapamayapa, etc. — as organized under the LGC and implementing rules.

Positions not named in the LGC (e.g., coordinator, zone/area/purok president) can still exist, but only through valid delegation or local legislation. They do not have police power, licensing power, or rule-making power on their own.

What is a “barangay coordinator”?

In practice, this title is used in three ways:

Political/party coordinator — a liaison for a political party or candidate.
- Source of authority: private/political; not governmental.
- Scope: campaign or party work; cannot command barangay personnel or residents.
Program or project coordinator (e.g., health, disaster, community affairs) appointed by the Punong Barangay or by the Mayor/DILG/line agencies to help implement a specific program.
- Source: written designation, executive order, memorandum, or ordinance.
- Scope: limited to the program’s terms of reference (TOR). Any “authority” flows downward from whoever issued the appointment and cannot exceed that source.
NGO/CSO coordinator — liaison of a civil society partner in barangay projects.
- Source: private; potentially supported by an MOU with the LGU.
- Scope: partnership activities only.

Key point: A barangay coordinator has no inherent command authority over residents, zones, puroks, or association officers unless a valid written instrument (ordinance, EO, TOR, MOU) expressly grants such authority.

What is a “zone president”?

“Zone,” “purok,” or “sitio” are often used to subdivide a barangay for administrative convenience.

This title commonly refers to:

Purok/Zone leader recognized by the barangay through resolution or executive designation.
- Source: barangay ordinance/resolution or Punong Barangay memo.
- Scope: mobilization, information dissemination, community projects within the assigned area. Authority is coordinative, not coercive.
Homeowners’ Association (HOA) president within a subdivision/condo, under the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations (RA 9904) and DHSUD rules.
- Source: private association bylaws and national HOA law/regulations.
- Scope: internal governance of the subdivision/condo and facilities; no public police power. Within the HOA’s territorial jurisdiction, the HOA president’s authority over members can be stronger than that of any barangay-appointed coordinator, but only as to association matters.

Key point: A zone/purok leader recognized by barangay action derives authority from the barangay, while an HOA president derives authority from private law (bylaws/RA 9904). These are distinct spheres.

Who outranks whom?

1) If both are purely non-statutory:

Default rule: No one outranks the other.
Exception: If a barangay ordinance/resolution or a written designation states that the coordinator leads a specific program and designates zone leaders as part of the implementation chain, the coordinator may exercise functional supervision within that program.

2) If the zone president is an HOA president:

The HOA president does not take orders from a barangay coordinator on internal HOA matters (membership dues, facility rules, elections), because the coordinator has no authority under HOA law.
Conversely, the HOA president cannot countermand duly issued barangay ordinances, curfew rules, health protocols, or lawful directives of the Punong Barangay and national agencies.

3) If the zone/purok leader is formally recognized by the barangay:

The Punong Barangay can structurally place the zone/purok leader under a program coordinator if a written instrument says so (e.g., Executive Order: “All zone leaders shall coordinate with and be supervised by the Barangay DRRM Coordinator for evacuation drills”).
Without that, the zone leader answers directly to the Punong Barangay or the committee chairperson concerned.

Sources of valid authority (and how they rank)

From strongest to weakest in the local setting:

National law and national regulations (e.g., LGC; RA 9904; DILG, DHSUD, DOH, OCD rules).
City/Municipal ordinances applicable to all barangays in the LGU.
Barangay ordinances and resolutions (Sangguniang Barangay).
Punong Barangay executive orders/memoranda (organizational/operational directives).
Written designations/TORs for coordinators, task forces, and committees.
MOUs/MOAs with NGOs/CSOs and internal HOA bylaws (binding only on signatories/members and subject to law and public policy).

A document higher on this list cannot be overridden by a lower one. Thus, a coordinator’s memo cannot trump an HOA’s bylaw inside the HOA on private matters—but HOA rules cannot negate a barangay ordinance on public safety.

Practical tests to determine who can direct whom

Use these questions:

What is the instrument? Is there a specific ordinance, EO, or TOR that says the coordinator supervises zone leaders for a defined program? If yes, the answer is likely yes—but only within that program.
What is the forum? Is the issue about public concerns (e.g., evacuation, anti-dengue campaign) or private HOA concerns (e.g., pool rules)? Public concerns favor barangay program chains; private concerns favor HOA leadership.
What is the scope and duration? Delegations should specify tasks, area, and time. Authority lapses when the program ends or the designation is revoked.
Is there budgetary control? If the coordinator is the authorized program head for funds, procurement, or logistics, functional supervision usually follows—again, bounded by the program.
Was there due process and transparency? Even with delegation, coordinators cannot impose penalties or collect fees unless explicitly authorized by law/ordinance.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Vague designations: “You’re the barangay coordinator; take charge of all zone leaders” is too broad. Cure: issue a written TOR listing tasks, reporting lines, and limits.
Overreach into HOA affairs: Barangay appointees ordering HOA guards or collecting HOA dues. Cure: respect RA 9904 and the HOA’s corporate personality; coordinate through the HOA board for public programs.
Assuming police powers: Neither coordinator nor zone president can arrest, penalize, or confiscate without legal authority. Enforcement requires barangay officials/tanods and, where needed, the PNP.
No records: Unwritten “arrangements” cause disputes. Cure: adopt council resolutions and MOUs; keep minutes and notices.

Dispute resolution pathways

Internal (Barangay side): Raise to the Punong Barangay or the relevant committee chairperson; the Sangguniang Barangay may issue clarifying resolutions.
With an HOA: Elevate to the HOA board; if needed, use the Barangay Conciliation (Katarungang Pambarangay) for disputes between natural persons; corporate disputes may be outside its scope. Regulatory questions can be referred to DHSUD or the city hall’s HOA desk.
Inter-LGU guidance: The DILG field office can issue clarificatory advice on the proper scope of barangay designations and enforcement.

Bottom line

The LGC does not grant automatic authority to a “barangay coordinator” over a “zone president.”
Authority exists only if—and to the extent that— a valid ordinance, EO, or TOR says so for a specific program, or the matter falls within the HOA’s internal governance (for HOA zone presidents).
When in doubt, map the mandates to their sources and write them down. Clear paperwork prevents turf wars and protects both volunteers and residents.

Quick checklist for your barangay or HOA

Do we have a written ordinance/EO/TOR defining the coordinator’s scope?
Are zone/purok leaders recognized by barangay action with clear duties?
If an HOA is involved, is there an MOU aligning public programs with HOA rules?
Are penalties/collections supported by law/ordinance (not just a memo)?
Do all documents state reporting lines, duration, and limits?
Is there a communication plan so residents know whom to approach for what?

This article provides general information on Philippine local governance and is not a substitute for legal advice. For a specific dispute, consult counsel and review the exact ordinances, EOs, TORs, and HOA bylaws involved.

Authority of Appointed Barangay Coordinator Over Zone President in Philippines