Short answer. Yes. The VAWC law lists the Punong Barangay and any Barangay Kagawad among those who may petition a court for a protection order, so a barangay captain can file for a victim in his barangay. Barangay officials also have their own power to issue barangay protection orders in urgent cases.
What the law says
Punong Barangay or Barangay Kagawad
RA 9262, Section 9 — Who May File. Read the full provision →
Barangay officials are named petitioners
Section 9 of Republic Act No. 9262 says a petition for protection order may be filed by any of the following, and its list expressly includes the Punong Barangay or Barangay Kagawad. So the barangay captain, or any councillor, is among the people the law authorises to bring a petition on a victim's behalf. This sits alongside the other named filers — the victim, her relatives within the fourth civil degree, DSWD and local social workers, police, and even two responsible citizens with personal knowledge of the abuse. The barangay official's place on this list reflects how often local officials are the first authority a victim or her neighbours turn to.
Filing in court versus issuing a barangay order
There are two distinct powers to keep apart. First, under Section 9 the Punong Barangay may file a petition in court for a temporary or permanent protection order — a court then decides and issues it. Second, and separately, the VAWC law lets the Punong Barangay issue a Barangay Protection Order himself, on the spot, to stop threats or acts of violence, without waiting for a court. The first is the barangay captain helping the victim reach the court; the second is the barangay captain exercising his own emergency authority. Both exist to give a frightened victim a fast, local route to safety.
Why the barangay is given this role
The barangay is the layer of government closest to the home. Its officials know the community, can be reached quickly, and are often alerted first when violence erupts. Placing the Punong Barangay and Kagawad among those who may file — and empowering the captain to issue an immediate barangay protection order — means help does not have to wait for the victim to travel to a court she may not know how to approach. It builds a first line of protection right where the danger is, which is the whole point of naming local officials in the statute.
The limits on the barangay's power
The barangay's authority has boundaries. A Barangay Protection Order the captain issues himself covers only certain acts — essentially threats and physical violence — and it is temporary, meant to hold the line until a court can act. The stronger and longer reliefs, such as ordering support or exclusive use of the home, come from the courts, which is precisely why Section 9 also lets the barangay captain file the court petition. The official must, of course, act within his post and the victim's genuine situation. Within those limits, a barangay captain can and should use both tools to protect a victim in his barangay.