The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is continuing its preparations to hold the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on November 2, even as multiple legislative proposals seek to postpone the polls, COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced on Thursday.
Addressing reporters in Davao City, Garcia clarified that the commission must operate under the current statutory mandate, noting that the authority to delay the vote rests solely with lawmakers and the President:
”Until today, the law is [that] there is an election by November 2.”
While at least three postponement bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives, COMELEC is maintaining its official timeline.
In the Senate, Senator Imee Marcos filed a bill proposing to reschedule the November 2026 BSKE to October 2027. Marcos cited the financial strain on voters traveling to their home provinces amid rising fuel costs and noted that the current schedule falls directly on All Souls’ Day.
Garcia acknowledged that escalating fuel prices have impacted COMELEC’s logistical operations, particularly regarding the transport of election materials:
”We are affected by the increase in gasoline prices because even the deployment of equipment requires paying for ships and other transportation. Those additional costs were not factored into our budget.”
Despite these budget challenges, Garcia affirmed that COMELEC will present its operational readiness during upcoming congressional hearings on the matter, reiterating the commission’s policy role:
”Postponing the election is not the call of the Comelec. It’s the call of our Congress and the Executive Department. Whatever their decision may be, the COMELEC will just follow.”
Garcia noted that the poll body will comply with any enacted legislation to defer the elections, provided the measure adheres to Supreme Court precedents.
He recalled past legislative actions that extended the terms of barangay and SK officials from three to four years without judicial intervention.
Citing Article X, Section 8 of the Philippine Constitution, Garcia emphasized that the tenure of barangay leaders is explicitly subject to statutory regulation:
”Meaning, the term of office of barangay officials can be less than three years. It can be more than three years because it is determined by law, by Congress.”