First-time voters line up to register for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections at Pinaglabanan Elementary School in San Juan City on Friday, August 1, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign into a law a bill seeking to move the Dec. 1 barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) to November 2026. Marcos will approve the measure on August 12, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.
Garcia said he was informed by Malacanang on Friday that on August 12, the president will be signing the law seeking to move the BSKE to the first Monday of November 2026.
"Pipirmahan ng ating pangulo ang batas na magre-reset, postpone ng Barangay at SK Elections at magpi-fix ng termino ng Barangay at SK na mula 3-taon, papunta sa 4 na taon. So kung magkatanon, malamang - mula ngayon…malamang na sadyang hindi matutuloy ang halalan natin sa para sa December 1,” Garcia told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Palace on Friday said it was best to wait for the President's action on the bill.
“Kung hindi ako nagkakamali parang August 14 po ang pinaka-deadline, so hintayin na lamang po kung ano po ang magiging aksyon ng Pangulo patungkol po dito sa bill na iyan,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
When asked if the president would consider signing the bill before the 10-day registration period lapses, Castro said, “Opo, gagawin po ng Pangulo iyan.”
If the bill is signed by the President into law, the barangay and SK elections will be held on the first Monday of November 2026.
It will also extend the BSK officials’ term of office to four years from the current three years.
Meantime, the poll body has launched its Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP) on Friday.
According to Garcia, it is expecting additional 1 million new registered voters to be added to the more than 68 million registered voters nationwide.
The registration program, according to Comelec, will accomodate new registration, change of name and status of applicants, correction of entries, reactivation of registratjon records and transfer of registration from overseas to local.
Comelec said the transfer of local registration records is not yet available under this program.
16-years old Marvin Chua Jr., is one of those who registered at the satellite registratio site in Luneta, Manila.
“Matagal na po dapat ako naka-rehistro kaso hindi natuloy - kaya itinuloy ko na po ngayon kasi kailangan po eh, lumalaki na po ako,” Chua told ABS-CBN News.
Emily Dalumpines, 31-years old and an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) from Dubai said, she decided to finally registerer because her employer oblidged her to do so as part of its requirements.
“Busy po lagi sa work kaya hindi nakapag-register..need na po talaga for work po - required na po," said Dalumpines.
Garcia encouraged qualified applicants to grab this opportunity to register.
“Tatandaan po natin, napakadami po kasi ang deactivated na botante. Hindi nakaboto noong nakaraang 2 eleksyon. Sana masamantala nila itong Barangay and SK - matuloy man o hindi kasi napakahirap kung wala silang registration. Isa sa mga requirements ng pag-a-apply ng passport ay ang certification na ikaw ay botante,” said Garcia.
— With reports from Johnson Manabat and Harlene Delgado, ABS-CBN News