Palace to let bill postponing BSKE lapse into law – Comelec

Commission on Elections chairman George Erwin Garcia answers questions during a press conference at Manila Hotel’s Tent City on Friday, May 16, 2025. —Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang will not hold a formal signing ceremony for the bill postponing this year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) and will instead let it lapse into law on Aug. 14.

This was according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia on Wednesday, after he earlier announced that President Marcos will sign the bill on Aug. 12.

“We received information lately that it seems that there will be no formal ceremony. What will happen is the bill will lapse into law by [Aug. 14] and the bill postponing the Barangay and SK Elections will automatically be enacted into law,” Garcia said on the sidelines of the Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP) in Quezon City.

READ: Comelec chair urges youth to register for BSKE

In June, the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report setting four-year terms, from the current three-year limit, for BSKE officials. The ratified bill also proposes that BSKE elections be held on the first Monday of November 2026, instead of on Dec. 1, 2025.

Huge turnout

Garcia said the Comelec sees no issue whether or not the Palace will hold a formal signing ceremony to sign the bill.

He added that the poll body, which is already in the middle of the 10-day voters’ registration for the BSKE, will continue with its preparations despite the looming postponement. It is also conducting the SRAP in several areas in Metro Manila from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7.

“Even if [the registration] ends on Aug. 10, we will continue our preparations because anyone can question [the law] before the Supreme Court,” Garcia said.

He added that should the polls be postponed, the Comelec will resume the voters’ registration in October until July 2026.

Accepted IDs

With the voter registration period coming to an end, the Comelec will now be accepting the applications for change of name and status, correction of entries, reactivation of registration records, and inclusion of registration records and reinstatement of name in the list of voters.

It will also process the updating of records of persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, and members of the indigenous peoples (IPs), and indigenous cultural communities (ICCs), as well as transfer from overseas to local.

Transfer of local registration records is not allowed during this registration period.

Comelec also said anyone can bring at least one of the following government-issued IDs: national ID, postal ID, PWD ID, student ID, senior citizen ID, driver’s license or student permit, and National Bureau of Investigation clearance.

Other forms of identification that are accepted are: Philippine passport, Social Security System/Government Service Insurance System or Unified Multi-Purpose ID, Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID, Professional Regulatory Commission license, certificate of confirmation from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples for members of ICCs and IPs, and other government-issued valid IDs.

Barangay certification or identification, community tax certificates (cedula), Philippine National Police clearance and company ID are not acceptable.

Longer terms

Once the bill is enacted, the term of office for barangay and SK officials will be extended to four years, which means they are in position longer than House representatives, mayors, and other local officials who serve for three years per term.

Legislators, including Speaker Martin Romualdez, who pushed for the longer term said this was to ensure continuity of projects.

It also provides that all incumbent barangay and SK officials remain in their posts until their successors are elected.

The transitory provision states: “Incumbent elective barangay officials serving their third consecutive term in the same position shall not be eligible to run for the same position in November 2026 BSKE.”

Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, at the time of ratification, warned that the constitutionality of the measure could be challenged at the Supreme Court.

Postponing this year’s BSKE, Manuel said, would contravene its ruling that the “BSKE must not be postponed without grave and sufficient reasons.”