Senator Imee Marcos on Sunday, April 19, welcomed the government’s plan to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) for this year 2026.

Marcos said the postponement of the 2026 barangay and youth elections would be beneficial to a country still reeling with the impact of the oil and energy crisis.

“I support the postponement of the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE),” Marcos said in a statement.

“At a time when the country is confronted with serious economic challenges brought about by the oil crisis, prudence demands that we prioritize the allocation of limited public resources,” she said.

Marcos recalled that during last year’s budget hearing, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that preparation and holding of the nationwide BSK elections will require around P16-billion.

“This sum can be more urgently directed toward addressing the immediate needs of our people, including rising fuel costs, food security, and essential public services,” said Marcos.

What is essential, she said is ensuring that local officials are prepared and focused on responding to the energy crisis.

“Equally important, postponement will allow our local officials to remain fully focused on governance and crisis response, rather than being drawn into the distractions of electoral politics,” she said.

“In times such as these, continuity of leadership at the grassroots level can help ensure stability and more efficient delivery of public services,” she stressed.

Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is open to calls to postpone the BSKE which is set for November 2 this year, as this would help save funds amid the Middle East crisis.

Postponing 2026 BSKE unconstitutional

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, said he is not inclined to support such proposal.

“It’s not my decision. Because the Supreme Court has already made a decision stating that elections cannot just be suspended. If the postponement pushes through, this would be the third time the BSK elections would be postponed,” Gatchalian said.

“The SC itself has ruled we cannot just arbitrarily suspend the elections because what happens otherwise, is losing democratic rights,” he pointed out.

Moreover, Gatchalian said doing so would also be “unconstitutional.”

“If you suspend it, that would already be unconstitutional,” he stressed.

“Precisely because there is already funds allocated for the BSKE this year,” the lawmaker stressed.