President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed on Friday a law extending the terms of incumbent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from three years to five years, effectively postponing the 2026 Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE).
Republic Act No. 12326, or the “Act Fixing the Term of Office of Barangay Officials and Members of the Sangguniang Kabataan to Five (5) Years,” amends Republic Act No. 12232 and provides new rules on the tenure, term limits and filling of vacancies among barangay and SK officials.
The measure means incumbent barangay and SK officials will remain in office under the extended five-year term instead of facing elections scheduled for 2026.
The law limits elected barangay officials to two consecutive terms in the same position, while elected SK officials may serve only one term in the same position.
It also contains a transitory provision affecting incumbent barangay officials. Those currently serving will be considered to have completed one term because of the two-year extension.
Incumbent officials already serving their last term will therefore be barred from seeking the same position in the 2028 elections.
The new law also provides a mechanism for filling vacancies in the SK.
City and municipal mayors may appoint qualified members of the SK when vacancies occur, provided the appointees meet the qualifications under the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015.
However, vacancies in the position of SK chairperson will continue to be filled through succession.
RA 12326 likewise directs the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in coordination with other concerned government agencies, to provide continuing training and capacity-building programs for barangay and SK officials.
The law also addresses funds originally intended for the 2026 BSKE.
Any unexpended funds allocated for the 2026 barangay and SK elections will be used by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for preparations for the 2028 National and Local Elections.
Prior to the signing of the new law, COMELEC had already prepared for the November 2, 2026 BSKE, including an official calendar of activities and election-related preparations.
With the enactment of RA 12326, COMELEC has ordered the suspension of preparations for the 2026 BSKE.
The five-year term provision also changes the previous framework for barangay and SK elections. Under the earlier rules, barangay and SK officials were subject to a separate election cycle, with the 2026 BSKE scheduled after the October 30, 2023 elections.
The law further establishes a different term-limit framework from the general three-term limit traditionally applied to local elective officials. The Local Government Code provides a three-year term and a maximum of three consecutive terms for most local elective positions, while barangay and SK officials are governed by specific statutory provisions.
The postponement of the 2026 BSKE effectively gives incumbent barangay and SK officials additional time to continue serving their communities while also shifting the next electoral exercise under the new five-year term framework.
