Comelec chief leaves fate of BSKE 2025 to Congress

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday, May 10, 2024, that it is leaving the decision to lawmakers whether to push through or postpone the Dec. 1, 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in a phone interview that it is entirely up to Congress, which comprises the Senate and the House of Representatives, if it will postpone the BSKE to Oct. 26, 2026 as proposed in House Bill 10344.

“The fixing of the date of election is an absolute discretion of Congress, so long as it complies with the guidelines/criteria laid down by the Supreme Court in case of postponement and resetting,” said Garcia.

He stressed that the commission will only be involved once the bill is signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“We will enforce and administer in case it becomes a law,” Garcia said.

He said the Comelec will continue with its preparations for the BSKE until it is officially postponed.

“We will prepare to conduct the BSKE in 2025. Our preparations cannot be slowed by a mere possibility or speculation,” said Garcia.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte has filed a bill seeking to postpone the December 2025 BSKE to October 2026.

Villafuerte said moving the BSKE to a year later is necessary as the current village and youth officials will only serve for two years, instead of three, if the polls will push through next year. The midterm elections will also be held in May.

The last BSKE was held last October 2023. It was originally planned for May 2020, but it was rescheduled to December 2022 following the passage of a law in December 2019. In October 2022, another law was enacted, shifting the election date to Oct. 30, 2023.