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Mayen Jaymalin - The Philippine Star
August 7, 2025 | 12:00am
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on July 17, 2024.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — The upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will most likely be postponed even if President Marcos won’t sign the proposed bill extending the term of incumbent village officials.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday noted that the bill extending the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials will lapse into law by Aug. 14.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the Comelec also received information that there will no longer be a formal ceremony on the signing of the bill, as previously reported by Malacañang.
He said there is no problem with the Comelec, whether the bill will just lapse into law or it will be formally signed by the President.
“The Comelec will continue with our preparation because it can be questioned in the Supreme Court,” he said.
Despite the likelihood of the BSKE being postponed, the number of those who have registered for the upcoming elections has already reached 981,872 as of Aug. 5.
The Comelec expects the number of registrants to hit as high as 1.5 million on the last day of the nationwide voter registration on Aug. 10.
“They want to participate in the BSKE, they want to have a voice when it comes to elections in their barangay,” Garcia said about the reason behind the surge in number of registrants.
“These are the youth voters. It is the power of the youth that was demonstrated in the midterm elections,” he said.
However, Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co said that the skyrocketing voter registration is more reason to continue the BSKE in December.
“Gen Z is ready. Why is Marcos Jr. not? The youth are excited to vote, let us not remove their democratic rights. The people are victorious in an active voting,” Co said in a statement.
She said those who want to cling to power forever are the only ones who are afraid of the elections. — Jose Rodel Clapano
