No indication Marcos will veto bill extending terms of barangay execs

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said that the Palace gave no indication that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will veto the proposed bill seeking to extend the terms of the elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) officials.

This is what Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia answered when asked of his reaction to the fourth State of the Nation Address of Marcos when he did not mention the BSK elections.

“Umaasa tayo na any moment from now, mapipirmahan ng ating pangulo yung batas sapagkat walang pinapahayag sa atin ang Palasyo o any indication na iveveto ng ating pangulo o hindi lalagdaan,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.

(We are expecting that any moment from now, the president will sign the bill because the Palace has no indication that the president will veto or will not sign the bill.)

During the 19th Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified a bill seeking to extend the elected officials’ current term of three years to four years. Should the bill be enacted into law, the BSKE, originally set on December 1, 2025 will be moved to the first Monday of November 2026.

READ: Comelec asked to comment on bill extending terms of barangay, SK execs

Garcia also previously shared that the Comelec was asked by the Palace to comment on the proposed bill. In response to the request, Garcia cited the executive and legislative “absolute prerogative” on the measure.

When asked for an update on the poll body’s response to the Palace, Garcia reiterated the commission’s position on the matter.

Garcia said that the poll body’s hands are “full” as it is simultaneously preparing for the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections on October 13 and the BSKE in December, which are barely two months apart.

“Syempre talagang macocompromise yung kalidad ng ating paghahanda dahil magkasabay halos ang pagitan ng dalawang halalan. Pero sinabi natin na as far as the Comelec is concerned kung gugustuhin na ituloy ay handa naman kami pero kung gugustuhing ipagpaliban, mas makakapaghanda kami kung ipagpapaliban,” Garcia said.

(The quality of our preparations will be compromised because the elections are two months apart. But we said that as far as the Comelec is concerned, if they want to push through with the elections, we are ready but if they want to postpone it, we will have more time to prepare.)

“So binigay po talaga natin ang desisyon sa ehekutibo at sa lehislatibo kung ano ang magiging desisyon nila sa bagay na yan,” Garcia added.

(So we gave the decision to the executive and legislative departments.)

Voters’ registration period

The Comelec will open the voters’ registration ahead of the 2025 BSKE from August 1, 2025 (Friday) to August 10, 2025 (Sunday). During this period, the poll body will not accept transfer of  local registration records nationwide.

READ: How to register as a voter for the 2025 BSKE

But will the Comelec halt the registration program if the elections are postponed? Garcia answered in the negative.

“Kung umabot yung pagpapaliban bago matapos yung August 10, itutuloy na natin hanggang sa susunod na taon at pagkatapos sa buong Pilipinas ay papayagan na natin ang transfer of registration at sa buong Pilipinas din ang Registration Anywhere Program at Registration Anytime ay pwede nang maisagawa sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa,” Garcia said.

(If the postponement happens before August 10, we will push through with [the registration] until next year for the whole country and we will allow the transfer of records and Registration Anywhere Program and Registration Anytime across the country.)

Garcia mentioned that the poll body will again launch its Registration Anywhere Program (RAP) in the National Capital Region from August 1 to August 7 while the poll body is eyeing to extend the registration in some areas from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Garcia also shared that the poll body has ongoing negotiations with the Philippine General Hospital, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange for the locations of the RAP. /cb