Lawmaker proposes moving next barangay, SK elections to 2026
Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte is suggesting that the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) be held in 2026 instead of 2025, so that sitting officials would not be given shorter terms.
Villafuerte and other lawmakers have filed House Bill (HB) No. 10344 to move the next elections to October 26, 2026. He explained that incumbent barangay officials can only perform their duties for two years, which may severely impact performance and delivery of service.
The previous BSKE was held on October 30, 2023, and the next one is scheduled for December 2025.
The move to push back the elections to 2026 aims to ensure that elected officials can fulfill their mandates without any compromise on the length of their term in office.
Despite opposition, Congress approved a bill in the past to postpone the BSKE scheduled for 2022 to October 2023, aiming to save funds and focus government resources on post-pandemic recovery. However, the Supreme Court later declared this law as unconstitutional, emphasizing the need for periodic elections to avoid disenfranchising voters.
Villafuerte clarified that their proposed bill does not seek to extend the term of office for incumbent barangay officials but rather aims to provide them with the proper term length they were elected for.
The lawmaker stressed the importance of honoring the three-year term mandate for elected officials and ensuring that the next BSKE is held every three years in line with the Constitution and other relevant laws.
The proposal, crafted in collaboration with other lawmakers, aims to maintain the sanctity of the electoral process and uphold the obligations of elected leaders to serve their constituents diligently.
