Declare barangay, SK polls holiday, House urged

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December 12, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — An election watchdog yesterday urged lawmakers to include the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election day as well as other voting days as a non-working holiday, under a proposal declaring national and local elections (NLE).

In a recommendation to the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) said it would be a good move to include the barangay and SK elections in the proposed law.

“We recommend expanding the coverage to include the barangay and SK elections, which are fundamental exercises of local democracy and grassroots participation,” Namfrel said.

The poll watchdog said the twin elections are as important as the national and local elections.

“Barangay elections represent the most direct form of democratic participation for Filipinos, affecting governance at the community level, where citizens interact most frequently with government services,” the poll watchdog said.

It urged lawmakers to include other electoral exercises that have a nationwide scope in the holiday proposal.

“(They may) include provisions for plebiscites, initiatives, referenda and recall elections of national scope,” Namfrel said, noting that such activities are not frequently held, “but deserve the same facilitation as regular elections.”

Three pending proposals  – House Bills 102, 3101 and 3102 – are seeking the declaration of the National Election Day as a regular non-working holiday.