President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law the measure that postpones the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, moving the next polls to November 2028.
The new law changes the term of barangay and SK officials to five years. The next elections will therefore be held on the second Monday of November 2028, with succeeding elections also scheduled at five-year intervals.
The legislation effectively replaces the previous schedule, which had placed the next BSKE on Nov. 2, 2026. Under the earlier framework, barangay and SK officials had four-year terms following legislation signed in 2025.
The postponement comes as the Commission on Elections had already been preparing for the November 2026 polls. Preparations had continued while the enrolled bill awaited presidential action, including plans for the filing of certificates of candidacy later this month.
The measure was presented by lawmakers primarily as a change to the length of officials’ terms rather than simply an election postponement. Supporters of the legislation have argued that moving the election date is a consequence of establishing five-year terms for barangay and SK officials.
However, the legislation had faced legal objections before Marcos signed it. Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal urged the President to veto the measure, arguing that its transitional provisions could create legal questions over the distinction between an official’s term and the period they remain in office under a holdover arrangement.
One issue concerns incumbent officials elected in 2023. The contested provision treats their current service in a way that could affect eligibility for the 2028 elections, particularly for officials who are already serving their final consecutive term under existing rules.
The development also follows a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that upheld Congress’ authority to determine the terms of barangay and SK officials, including the timing of elections, while considering whether the resulting term length is constitutionally permissible.
With the new law signed, the immediate 2026 BSKE schedule is superseded and barangay and SK officials will remain in office under the new legal framework until the next elections in November 2028.
The change now shifts attention to how the new five-year terms and transitional provisions will be implemented, as well as whether legal challenges will be filed over the rules governing incumbent officials and their eligibility for the 2028 polls.
