A voter after casting a ballot in Philippine elections. PNA / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
News reporting — Nation / Politics
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12326, postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) that were set for November 2, 2026 — and locking village and youth officials into a longer clock.
Under the new law, reported by The Philippine Star, the next BSKE shifts to the second Monday of November 2028, and every five years thereafter. Terms of barangay and SK officials move from four years to five. It is the third postponement in four years: Marcos also deferred the polls in 2022 and 2025.
Extra time for accountability — and a canceled COC window
Marcos framed the extension not as more time in office but as “extra time for accountability to the people” — urging barangay and SK officials to improve service. Malacañang argued that keeping incumbents in place protects ongoing local programs on crime prevention and flood mitigation.
The measure landed just days before certificate-of-candidacy filing, originally set for September 28 to October 5. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said RA 12326 was published in the Official Gazette and is “immediately executory.” COC filing for the Nov. 2 polls is off. The commission will issue a resolution canceling related 2026 BSKE preparations and reopen nationwide voter registration from about the second week of November through July 30, 2027.
Garcia earlier flagged that postponement could affect roughly ₱8 billion already spent on election preparations, though some materials may still be usable later.
Term limits, counted incumbency, and a court challenge brewing
RA 12326 caps barangay officials at two consecutive terms in the same post and SK officials at one term. Because the two-year extension counts as completing one term, incumbents already on their last term are ineligible to run for the same position in 2028. The law also says incumbents are not shielded from pending or future administrative, civil, or criminal cases.
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal is preparing a voter’s petition asking the Supreme Court to review RA 12326, accusing Marcos and Congress of grave abuse of discretion.
Critics: rights deferred, dynasties favored?
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) called the move a deprivation of the right to choose leaders. Spokesperson Ana de Villa-Singson said successive postponements take away voters’ chance to keep or replace officials — especially for the youth, who should get to participate. Other critics argue repeated delays favor political dynasties entrenched in barangay posts.
Palace messaging stresses continuity and accountability. Election watchdogs stress that every postponement is also a postponed ballot. Both frames are now on the record as RA 12326 takes effect and Comelec rewinds the 2026 calendar.
Source: The Philippine Star (Sept. 25–26, 2026), reporting on RA 12326, Comelec, PPCRV, and Macalintal.
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