July voter registration suspended

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended the nationwide voter registration initially scheduled for July 1 to 11 as part of preparations for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in December.

“The voter registration will now take place in the last week of October after the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, and will run until July 2026,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.

According to Garcia, the rescheduled voter registration will serve as preparation for the BSKE in November 2026, in case the proposed measure extending the term of barangay officials is enacted into law.

Although voter registration has been suspended, he said the Comelec will still continue with other BSKE preparations, as the proposed measure has yet to be signed by President Marcos.

Even if the measure is signed into law, Garcia added that the legality of extending the terms of barangay and SK officials could still be challenged before the Supreme Court.

He recalled that the Supreme Court previously issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending the implementation of a law that postponed the 2022 BSKE.

“What if we stop our preparations, and then the President doesn’t sign the law or a TRO is issued again? It’s better to proceed, at least with the procurement,” Garcia explained in Filipino.

He added that the Comelec will include a provision in the procurement contracts allowing cancellation in case of a supervening event.

Meanwhile, the Comelec will continue preparations for the BARMM parliamentary elections based on the current 73-member composition, as no law has been passed to reallocate the seven seats from Sulu.

Given this, Garcia said the Comelec will no longer reopen the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the upcoming Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in October.

Term extension

Meanwhile, a senior administration lawmaker is urging President Marcos to sign House Bill 11287, which seeks to reset the Dec. 1, 2025 BSKE to the first Monday of November 2026 and extend the term of barangay and SK officials.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the move would help avoid unnecessary public spending and logistical strain.

“If BSK elections are held this December, the Commission on Elections will be spending P12 billion, funds that could be used for development projects in our 42,046 barangays,” Rodriguez said.

He also noted that holding the BSKE in December would mean the country would be conducting three major elections in one year (the May 2025 midterms, the Oct. 13 BARMM elections and the BSKE), which could lead to “multiple unnecessary expenses running to billions and billions of pesos.”

Rodriguez issued the call days after election lawyer Romulo Macalintal urged the President to reject the bill.

“I totally disagree with Macalintal,” Rodriguez said. “There is no issue or debate that Congress possesses the power to fix the term of office of BSK officials and, consequently, to reset their election.”

He emphasized that holding the BSKE this year would give elected barangay officials only two years in office – shorter than the standard three-year term of other local officials.

“It would be unfair to them. BSK officials should enjoy the same privilege, which they would if their elections were postponed to November next year as proposed in the consolidated bill,” he said.

HB 11287, principally authored by Speaker Martin Romualdez, includes term limits of two terms for barangay officials and one term for SK officials.

It also schedules future BSK elections every six years starting May 2029.

The bill amends the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160), extending the term of incumbent officials elected in October 2023 until May 2029 (unless removed or suspended for cause), to promote continuity in grassroots projects and reduce excessive politicking.