The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is hoping that the postponement of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from December 2025 to November 2026 will be the last move to defer the polls.
PPCRV chairperson Evelyn Singson said the postponement of the Dec. 1 village and youth polls should be the final one in recognition of the sanctity of the regular conduct of barangay elections as part of the country’s democracy.
She said the frequent extension of the term of elected barangay officials could weaken accountability and erode public trust.
“That said, it is imperative that this be the last. The sanctity of our democratic process rests on the certainty of regular elections,” she said during a program aired by Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas.
“Our citizens must be assured that elected officials will serve only within their rightful mandate and that their performance will be judged through the ballot, at regular and fixed intervals.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recently signed into law Republic Act 12232, moving the December 2025 BSKE to the first Monday of November 2026.
Under the law, subsequent regular BSKE will be held every four years thereafter.
On the other hand, the PPCRV expressed support to the prioritization of government agencies, particularly the Commission on Elections (Comelec), in ensuring the orderliness, integrity, and peace of the first-ever Parliamentary Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) scheduled for Oct. 13, 2025, which could have a significant impact on the overall stability of the country’s democracy.
However, Singson clarified that while the need to allocate sufficient time to focus on the first-ever BARMM Parliamentary Elections is acceptable, the repeated postponement of barangay elections in the country could have significant implications.
“I will refrain from commenting on the legality of the postponement of the BSKE elections, as this matter is sub judice. I believe that the deferment was made in recognition of the paramount importance of the BARMM elections,” she said.
“The Commission on Elections, in partnership with stakeholders, is devoting its full attention to ensuring that the BARMM elections are credible, orderly, and successful —given the serious consequences to national stability should they falter. To give sufficient time to prepare, the BSKE has been rescheduled to November 2026, representing a one-year postponement,” Singson added. (PNA)
