Philippines Postpones Barangay, SK Elections to 2028 Under New Law

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) originally scheduled for November 2, 2026. Republic Act No. 12326 moves the next regular BSKE to the second Monday of November 2028, with succeeding elections to be held every five years thereafter. The law also fixes the term of office of elected barangay and SK officials at five years. It further limits elective barangay officials to two consecutive terms in the same position and elective SK officials to one term in the same position. Marcos said the additional time in office should be used by incumbent officials to improve public service, complete ongoing programs, and address the needs of their communities. "Sa paglagda natin sa Republic Act No. 12326, na nagtatakda ng limang taong termino para sa mga opisyal ng barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan, malinaw ang ating inaasahan sa ating mga kasalukuyang opisyal," Marcos said in a Facebook post. (With the signing of Republic Act No. 12326, which sets a five-year term for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials, our expectations for our current officials are clear.) "Gamitin ang panahong ito upang mas pagbutihin ang serbisyo, tapusin ang mga nasimulang programa at mas tutukan ang pangangailangan ng bawat komunidad, pamilya at kabataan. Hindi ito dagdag na panahon sa puwesto. Dagdag itong panahon ng pananagutan sa taumbayan," he added. (Use this time to further improve public service, complete programs that have already been started, and focus more closely on the needs of every community, family, and young person. This is not additional time in office. It is additional time for accountability to the people.) Previous postponements The postponement marks another change to the schedule of the barangay and SK elections under the Marcos administration. On October 10, 2022, months after assuming office, Marcos signed Republic Act No. 11935, postponing the December 2022 BSKE to October 2023. The Supreme Court declared RA 11935 unconstitutional in June 2023 even as it allowed the October 30, 2023 elections to proceed. The next BSKE was initially scheduled for December 1, 2025. The timeline was later changed when Marcos signed RA 12232 on August 13, 2025, setting the next regular barangay and SK elections for the first Monday of November 2026, or November 2. Marcos later cited the need to focus on the inaugural parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which were also rescheduled to September 2026. The barangay and SK elections have been repeatedly postponed since 2016. Comelec preparations The Commission on Elections (Comelec) had already begun preparations for the November 2026 BSKE, including the implementation of its election calendar. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the poll body could not halt its preparations based solely on pending legislation, as it had to remain ready in case the measure did not pass or faced a temporary restraining order after enactment. Comelec had reportedly spent about P8 billion on preparations for the 2026 polls. Following the enactment of RA 12326, however, Comelec stopped activities related to the November 2026 BSKE, including the filing of certificates of candidacy that had been scheduled for September 28 to October 5. Garcia said the poll body's preparations would not necessarily go to waste, as election equipment already purchased can still be used for future elections. — VBL, GMA News