Comelec-7 to continue BSKE poll preparations

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Elections in Central Visayas-7 will continue its preparations for the November 2, 2026, Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), even as Congress considers a measure that could postpone the polls.

Comelec-7 Regional Director Atty. Francisco Pobe said during a Kapihan sa PIA forum on Wednesday that, unless a new law is enacted to cancel or postpone the elections, the commission will proceed with preparations based on the existing law setting the polls on November 2.

Pobe said the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) is scheduled from September 28 to October 5. The official Comelec calendar also places the campaign period from September 28 to October 21.

He said Comelec-7 has already started manpower pooling, including preparations for the deployment of teachers as members of electoral boards, coordination with the Joint Security Council, and coordination with national agencies that will serve as deputized agencies.

Comelec is also posting lists of voters in the barangays based on the Certified Lists of Voters and conducting information dissemination through barangays and local election bodies.

For the 2026 BSKE, Central Visayas consists of Cebu and Bohol, with a total of 2,312 barangays, 1,203 in Cebu and 1,109 in Bohol.

Pobe said the region has 5,662 clustered precincts for the regular barangay elections based on Comelec’s clustering system.

The region has about 4.39 million registered voters for the regular barangay elections, while SK voters number 1,542,717.

The SK voter population increased by 32,620, or about 2.38 percent, while regular voters increased by 40,124, or about 0.91 percent.

Pobe attributed the relatively modest increase partly to the timing of the 2025 elections and the limited period for new voters to reach voting age.

For the SK elections, the region has 12,502 clustered precincts, 3,069 in Bohol and 9,443 in Cebu.

Pobe, however, clarified that Comelec-7 is aware that the House of Representatives has acted on a measure involving the postponement or extension of the barangay and SK elections, while the Senate is still considering the matter.

Despite this, Comelec will continue its preparations until Congress passes a law changing the schedule.

Pobe said they are hopeful that Congress could make a decision before the September 28 start of the COC filing period. He stressed that Comelec has already incurred substantial expenses for preparations.

Ballots and other accountable election forms have already been printed, while various supplies needed for the manual elections have also been procured or prepared.

Pobe said some election materials could be reused if the elections are postponed, as Comelec had done during a previous postponement by adjusting the dates on certain forms and ballots.

However, perishable supplies could expire and would have to be replaced. Election paraphernalia would also have to be stored and preserved, potentially resulting in additional storage and preparation costs.

Pobe also said electoral board members will receive an increase in honoraria of P2,000 across the board, along with changes in the coverage of service credits.

He said service credits that previously expired will no longer lapse and may be used throughout a person’s service, including after retirement.

The period covered by the honorarium has also been increased from five days to 10 days.

The Comelec regional director said the changes are intended to recognize the additional responsibilities carried by electoral board members during the elections. — /IHM (FREEMAN)