President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed into law on August 13 Republic Act No. 12232, moving this year’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to November 2, 2026 and every four years thereafter.
In his state visit to India on August 8, Marcos Jr. affirmed his intention to sign the law, stating that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) had to focus on the first-ever parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in October.
“We really need to have a successful BARMM elections, that’s why we really, really are focusing on that,” the president said.
The new law limits barangay officials to a maximum of three consecutive terms in the same position and allows Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to serve only one term. It also modifies the previous three-year term limit, extending it to a four-year term of office for all elected officials.
Meanwhile, current officials will continue to serve in a holdover capacity unless removed or suspended, but those already on their third consecutive term will be prohibited from running again in 2026. The winners of the November 2026 elections will then assume office on December 1 of the same year.
COMELEC is also mandated to issue the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) within 90 days from the law’s effectivity.
Election lawyer, watchdog urge Marcos Jr. to veto bill
There have been multiple calls for President Marcos Jr. to veto the bill, including that of election watchdog National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL).
“The barangay, as the smallest government unit, leads local programs and serves as a space for resolving community issues. As the closest government to the people, voters must regularly and periodically choose their leaders,” said NAMFREL in a statement.
It added that postponing the SK elections “deprives young people of representation and delays youth participation in governance,” citing the importance of its role in “empowering the youth to lead.”
In a separate instance, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal also urged the junking of the then-bill, referring to it as a “recycled” version of R.A. 11935, which attempted to postpone the December 2022 BSKE but was nullified and declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (SC) in a 2023 decision.
To recall, SC ruled that any election postponement must be justified by a “valid government interest” to ensure a “free and meaningful exercise of the right to vote,” which requires the holding of “genuine” periodic elections. In the same decision, the High Court said the succeeding BSKE should be conducted on the first Monday of December 2025 and three years thereafter.
However, in June 2025, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero maintained the new bill complies with the SC ruling, noting that it reschedules the election and “clearly” states a four-year term limit, unlike the nullified law.
“Hindi ini-strike down ng Korte Suprema ang pagpapaliban ng eleksyon. Ang ini-strike down ‘yung kawalan ng term,” Escudero explained. “Ito, pagpapaliban pero nag-set ng term, sa pananaw namin, ay compliant dahil naiiba ito sa una.”
Despite calls for a veto, COMELEC Chairperson George Erwin Garcia has earlier said there were “no indications” from Malacañang the bill would be junked, and the poll body would proceed with preparations unless it is enacted into law.
On August 11, COMELEC also expressed the need for an additional P4 billion on top of the P11 billion allocated to them, in line with the postponement of the elections to 2026.
