President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will review the provisions of the proposed measure seeking to defer the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to 2028 before deciding whether to sign it, Malacañang said Tuesday, September 15.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said she had yet to receive confirmation that the versions approved by the Senate and House of Representatives had been formally transmitted to the Office of the President.
“Sa ngayon po, hindi pa po nakakarating sa akin kung naibigay na po itong mga versions na ito sa Office of the President,” Castro told reporters.
She said Marcos would need to examine the details of the proposed legislation before making a decision on whether to approve the election postponement.
“Dahil bago po magpasya ang Pangulo, kailangan niya pong mabasa ang lahat ang provision dito,” she said.
The Senate approved its version of the measure on Monday, September 14, proposing to move the BSKE from November 2026 to November 2028.
The House had earlier approved its own version on September 8, allowing the two chambers to work toward reconciling their respective proposals before the measure is sent to the President.
The proposal would extend the terms of incumbent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials from four years to five years, with the next BSKE to be held in 2028.
Election watchdog groups, however, have expressed opposition to the proposed postponement, citing concerns about the consequences of delaying the scheduled community-level elections.