Solons back proposed postponement of Barangay, SK polls to October 2026

House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Members of the House of Representatives have expressed their support for a proposed legislation that aims to defer the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from Dec. 1, 2025 to Oct. 26, 2026.

In a press conference on Thursday, May 9, Isabela 6th district Rep. Inno Dy, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, and Manila 1st district Rep. Ernix Dionisio said it would be a challenge for incumbent officials to fulfill their campaign promises if they are given shorter terms.

“To be able to implement certain programs alam naman po natin lahat sa (we all know in the) government, it takes some time and specially at the barangay level talagang very political po ang nangyayaring eleksyon (the elections are very political) … Napakaraming ginagastos po ng barangay every time nagkakaroon po ng panibagong set of elected officials,” Dy said.

(The barangay spends a lot every time there is a new set of elected officials.)

Dy, a former barangay captain, said that if local officials are only given two years in office then it will be close to impossible to attain all their objectives.

Acidre agreed with this sentiment. “Kung sinasabing three years daw dapat ang isang termino ng isang official, mahirap naman na binawasan mo”.

(If an official's term was set for three years, it would be difficult if you reduced it.)

“Ang hirap din naman na tuparin ang lahat sa dalawang taon (It is also difficult to accomplish all your goals within two years),” he stressed.

For his part, Dionisio noted that having short terms for the incumbent officials will force them to exert their efforts to campaigning instead of fulfilling their elected mandates.

“That is the sad reality of politics, hindi lamang sa national, lokal, pati sa barangay iyan, lagi nalang tayong kampanya, lagi na lang sinong mag-uuntugan, kaya nga siraan na ng siraan (not only national, local, but also in the barangay level, we are always campaigning, there is always people butting heads and discrediting one another), that is the sad reality of having a short term in all positions,” he explained. 

Under the proposed measure House Bill (HB) No. 10344, the postponement for the BSKE is being eyed for 2026 and then three years thereafter.

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte, one of the bill’s authors, said this is to maintain fixed three-year terms of the local officials in compliance with the provisions of both the 1987 Constitution and the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991.

This measure is set to be a follow-up to a prior Congress-approved legislation that pushed the BSKE set in 2022 to 2023.

Republic Act (RA) No.11935, which embodies the postponement, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (SC) last June 2023. However, the BSKE was allowed to push through anyway, recognizing its necessity.

Acidre, a Deputy Majority Leader, noted that with this decision it’s important for his fellow lawmakers to push for new laws to get a clearer understanding of both the appropriate term of office for Barangay and SK officials, as well as to uphold the principles of the SC ruling.

“As it stands, ang desisyon ng SC na hindi maaaring pagpalit-palitin ang taon ng ating mga halal sa barangay eh andiyan siya (the decision of the SC that the year of our barangay elections cannot be alternated is there). So, I think the way to move forward is for Congress to study anong implikasyon nito (study the implications of this),” he underscored.