Is a Representative Allowed at a Barangay Summon with an Authorization Letter in the Philippines?

Short answer up front

Generally, no. In barangay conciliation proceedings, personal appearance of the parties is mandatory. A companion or a “representative” armed with a mere authorization letter is not allowed to take the party’s place for mediation/conciliation. Limited exceptions exist (e.g., the party is a juridical person, a minor or otherwise legally incapacitated, or truly unable to appear), and those exceptions typically require a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) or equivalent corporate authority—not just a simple authorization letter.

The rest of this article explains the legal basis, the exceptions, the practical consequences, and how to handle real-world scenarios (including sample SPA language).

1) Why barangay conciliation demands personal appearance

Barangay Justice (Katarungang Pambarangay) emphasizes face-to-face settlement before disputes escalate to court. Because the goal is to rebuild social harmony, the law’s default rule is that the actual parties must personally appear and negotiate before the Punong Barangay or the Pangkat Tagapagkasundo—without representatives and without lawyers (lawyers may advise outside the session, but they generally cannot appear as counsel during the conference).

Implication: If you were summoned, the expectation is that you must show up. Sending a friend or relative with a letter that says “authorized to represent me” will almost always be rejected for purposes of conciliation (though that person may, in practice, request a reset or receive papers on your behalf—see Section 6).

2) When representation is allowed (and what documents are required)

A) Juridical persons (companies, cooperatives, associations)

Who may appear: An authorized officer/representative.
What to bring: Board Resolution/Secretary’s Certificate (or equivalent), ideally notarized, clearly authorizing the person to appear, negotiate, and enter into an amicable settlement or submit to arbitration.
Why: A corporation or partnership can only act through natural persons.

B) Minors or persons under legal disability

Who may appear: The parent, guardian, or legal representative.
What to bring: Proof of parental/guardian status or court/agency appointment. If a non-parent is appearing, an SPA or court authorization helps avoid challenges.
Scope: The representative must be empowered to negotiate and compromise; otherwise, any settlement can be questioned.

C) Party is genuinely unable to appear (e.g., abroad, bedridden, medically restricted)

Who may appear: An attorney-in-fact named in a Special Power of Attorney.
What to bring: A notarized SPA (if executed abroad, consularized or apostilled) explicitly authorizing the representative to appear in barangay conciliation, negotiate, and enter into a settlement or submit to arbitration.
Practice tip: Bring proof of the incapacity or absence (e.g., medical certificate, flight itinerary/visa) to justify the need for representation.

D) Multiple owners/claimants/relatives with aligned interest

If all are parties, each is expected to appear. However, when logistics make that impractical, barangays sometimes accept a single appearing party with SPAs from the others authorizing negotiation and compromise. When in doubt, have non-appearing co-owners execute SPAs.

Key takeaway: For representation to be valid for conciliation, the authority must be specific and formal. A simple authorization letter is usually not enough.

3) What an “authorization letter” can and cannot do

Often allowed (ministerial/administrative):

Receiving the summons/complaint or requesting a reset when the party cannot attend that day (e.g., sudden illness, work emergency), provided the barangay is satisfied with the reason and promptly sets a new date.

Not allowed (substantive/conciliation):

Negotiating, admitting liability, offering settlement, signing an amicable settlement, or submitting to arbitration on the party’s behalf. These require personal appearance or a proper SPA/corporate authority under the recognized exceptions above.

4) Consequences of non-appearance or improper representation

Certification to File Action (CFA): If a complainant unjustifiably fails to appear, the case may be dismissed at the barangay level, and the barangay may refuse to issue a CFA for the complainant (or issue a CFA stating the non-appearance). If a respondent unjustifiably fails to appear, the barangay may issue a CFA to the complainant, allowing court filing.
Adverse inferences/settlement risk: Failure to personally appear (or sending an under-authorized representative) may be taken as a lack of good faith, undermining settlement prospects.
Enforceability of settlement: A valid Amicable Settlement or Arbitration Award has the force of a final judgment if not repudiated within the statutory period. If a “representative” lacked proper authority (e.g., only an authorization letter), the settlement’s validity can be attacked, risking enforcement problems.

5) Practical guidance for common scenarios

Scenario 1: Employee on duty/shifting schedule

What to do: Appear in person; if truly impossible that day, have a co-worker deliver a note requesting a reset and present a work memo/schedule. Then personally attend the next setting. Do not delegate conciliation to the co-worker.

Scenario 2: Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)

What to do: Execute an SPA (apostilled/consularized if abroad) authorizing an attorney-in-fact to appear, negotiate, and sign any amicable settlement. Provide passport/flight evidence to the barangay to justify representation.

Scenario 3: Corporation as party

What to do: Prepare a Board Resolution/Secretary’s Certificate naming the corporate representative and specifying authority to appear, negotiate, compromise, and sign.

Scenario 4: Elderly/bedridden party

What to do: Present a medical certificate plus an SPA in favor of a trusted relative to appear and negotiate. Barangay may consider home-based conciliation or a special setting where realistic.

Scenario 5: Several co-owners

What to do: Either all appear, or the attending co-owner brings SPAs from the others expressly authorizing conciliation and settlement.

6) How to handle a barangay summon if you cannot attend

Notify the barangay early (in writing, via phone, or in person through a messenger) and request a new date, citing the specific reason.
If the reason will persist (e.g., you are abroad or incapacitated), prepare the proper authority document (SPA or corporate authority) as described above.
Attend personally at the next setting if you can. If not, ensure your representative brings original IDs and the original notarized SPA (or apostilled/consularized copy if issued overseas).

7) Checklist: What your SPA or authority document should say

Your SPA (or Board Resolution/Secretary’s Certificate) should expressly authorize the representative to:

Appear in Katarungang Pambarangay proceedings before the Punong Barangay/Lupon/Pangkat of [Barangay, City/Municipality];
Participate in mediation/conciliation conferences;
Negotiate and enter into an amicable settlement, including agreeing to payment terms, waivers, and releases;
Submit the dispute to arbitration if appropriate;
Sign any Amicable Settlement, Arbitration Agreement, or Arbitration Award;
Receive notices and documents; and
Perform all acts necessary and incidental to the foregoing.

Formality tips

Notarize the SPA. If signed abroad, apostille or consularize it.

Attach the principal’s government ID and, for the attorney-in-fact, a valid ID.

For corporations/associations, attach the SEC/DTI documents as needed.

8) Sample SPA (for individuals)

SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY I, [Full Name of Principal], of legal age, Filipino, with address at [Address], do hereby appoint [Full Name of Attorney-in-Fact], of legal age, Filipino, with address at [Address], as my true and lawful attorney-in-fact, to represent me in Katarungang Pambarangay proceedings before the Punong Barangay/Lupon/Pangkat of [Barangay, City/Municipality] in Case/Complaint re: [brief description], with full power to appear, participate in mediation/conciliation, negotiate and enter into an amicable settlement, submit the dispute to arbitration, and sign any resulting settlement, arbitration agreement, or award, and to receive notices and documents, and to do all acts necessary and incidental to the foregoing. This SPA is effective upon signing and shall remain valid until revoked in writing. [City/Municipality], [Date]. [Signature over Printed Name of Principal] With my conformity: [Signature over Printed Name of Attorney-in-Fact] (ACKNOWLEDGMENT/NOTARIAL CERTIFICATE)

9) When barangay conciliation is not required (so representation is moot)

If the dispute is outside Katarungang Pambarangay coverage, you may proceed directly to court or the proper agency. Common exemptions include:

Parties reside in different cities/municipalities (unless they expressly agree to barangay conciliation in one venue);
One party is the government or a public officer acting in an official capacity;
Criminal offenses where the maximum penalty exceeds the statutory barangay threshold, or other cases vested in specialized bodies (e.g., labor disputes for NLRC/DOLE, agrarian disputes for DAR, etc.);
Urgent legal relief requiring immediate court action (e.g., injunctions, provisional remedies).

Even in exempt cases, barangays sometimes attempt conciliation informally; the personal-appearance rule still applies if you choose to participate.

10) Bottom line

Personal appearance is the rule.
Representation is the exception, and when allowed, it usually demands a proper SPA (or corporate authority)—not a simple authorization letter.
A bare authorization letter may suffice for ministerial acts (receiving documents, asking for a reset) but not for the actual conciliation or signing a settlement.
If you truly cannot attend, prepare the correct authority document and explain the reason to the barangay to keep the process valid and enforceable.

Practical next steps

If you received a summon and cannot attend, immediately request a reset and state your reason.
If your absence will persist (abroad/illness), execute an SPA (or obtain a Board Resolution/Secretary’s Certificate for entities).
At the next setting, ensure the representative brings the original notarized authority, IDs, and any supporting proof of your inability to appear.

This approach keeps your rights intact, respects the barangay process, and protects the enforceability of any settlement reached.