Marcos Jr. awaits bill to postpone barangay and SK elections

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated he has not yet received the bill seeking to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, which are currently scheduled for November 2. The House of Representatives has adopted a Senate version of the measure that would extend the terms of local officials from four to five years, effectively moving the next elections to November 2028.

The Commission on Elections noted that unless a law is passed before the end of September, the filing of certificates of candidacy scheduled for late September and early October will proceed.

The proposal faces significant opposition. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has urged the President to veto the bill, citing “severe constitutional injury.” Similarly, the watchdog group Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) argued that delaying the elections would deprive voters of an opportunity to hold local officials accountable at the community level.