COMELEC Prepared for BSKE on Nov. 2 Amid Postponement Calls

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 5 August 2026) — The Commission on Elections is “prepared to conduct” the Sangguniang Barangay and Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on November 2 despite having multiple bills filed proposing postponement. COMELEC Chairperson George Edwin M. Garcia told reporters at the Aria Hotel and Residences here on Tuesday that there have been seven bills in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate proposing to move the conduct of the BSKE, mainly due to the energy crisis. “The COMELEC will still prepare for November 2, even if may mga panukalang batas. We will participate during the deliberation, during the hearing to be called by Congress,” he said. Garcia said they will offer their opinion on the matter, as well as their experience. He said that COMELEC has already spent ₱8 billion for the printing of the ballots and the “procurement of supplies,” including the ballpens and the indelible ink. In case of postponement, Garcia hoped that it would not reach one year as the pens and the ink will expire by that time. He said that COMELEC has allocated ₱11 billion for the BSK polls, of which ₱9 billion is dedicated for the payment of the electoral board members; ₱1 billion for the expenses for the training of the teachers; and ₱1 billion for their deployment. For this allocation, the budget is still with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Garcia said. He admitted that COMELEC has not yet considered the effect of the energy crisis in the budgeting. The increase in fuel prices, Garcia noted, will have corresponding effects on the deployment of personnel, and in shipping election paraphernalia to different parts of the country. But he assured that the COMELEC has “enough” funds for the BSKE. With the BSKE falling during “Undas” (All Souls’ Day), Garcia said they already wrote a letter sponsoring a resolution to the COMELEC En Banc to request President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare November 3 (Tuesday) a non-working holiday to encourage voters to go home to their hometowns in the weekend, vote on Monday, then return to the cities on November 3. (Razl EJ Teman / MindaNews)