2020 barangay, SK polls now a signature away from postponement

MANILA, Philippines— The 18th Congress on Monday concurred to ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the bill seeking to postpone the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

This means the postponement of the BSKE, is now up for the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte.

At the House of Representatives, a total of 220 lawmakers ratified the report while the Senate also approved the ratification on Monday morning.

The House approved a bill to postpone the elections on third and final hearing last week while the Senate approved a counterpart bill last September 30.

READ: House OKs bill postponing barangay, SK polls to 2022

In his fourth State of the Nation Address, Duterte called on Congress to reschedule the BSKE "to rectify the truncated terms of sitting barangay officials."

READ: Duterte asks Congress to move barangay, SK polls to 2022

The president lamented the constant change of officials and said he wants to provide current village officials “ample time to finish their programs and projects.”

Duterte also signed into law a bill postponing the barangay and SK elections in October 2016 to October 2017.

Once approved, the BSKE 2020, originally slated May 20, 2020, would be moved to Dec. 5, 2022.

The elections barangay and SK officials would begin their term on January 2023. —Rosette Adel