THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has halted preparations for the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) after President Marcos signed the law that moved the polls to November 2028.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the Commission en banc has stopped election-related activities after confirming that Republic Act 12326 had been signed and published, making it immediately effective.
‘A commission en banc session earlier decided to stop the activities related to our preparations for the November 2, 2026 Barangay and SK Elections,’ Garcia said.
RA 12326 moves the next regular BSKE from Nov. 2 to the second Monday of November 2028, with succeeding polls to be held every five years.
The Comelec said the filing of certificates of candidacy, which was scheduled from September 28 to October 5, will no longer proceed.
‘There will no longer be filing of certificates of candidacy starting Monday, September 28 until October 5,’ Garcia said, explaining that the law signed by Marcos had already been verified as published in the Official Gazette.
Garcia said the postponement could also mean the eventual cancellation of activities that the Comelec had already scheduled for the Nov. 2 elections, with the Commission expected to issue a formal resolution covering the matter.
Garcia said the postponement could affect election preparations already undertaken by the Comelec, although some election materials may still be preserved and used for future polls.
However, under the Comelec’s latest action, the ongoing printing of additional ballots, accountable forms and voter lists will continue until the allocated quantities are completed, while pending procurement of BSKE forms and supplies will also be finished.
Election materials already printed or procured for the 2026 BSKE will be secured, properly stored and preserved for future use, the poll body said.
PNP to use additional time
THE National Police (PNP) on Sunday announced that it will use the time gained by the suspension of this year’s barangay elections to ‘refine its election-security planning, strengthen coordination with partner agencies, and incorporate lessons from recent electoral exercises’ for the 2028 BSKE.
For the PNP, the new law provides the basis for adjusting its future security planning and coordination with the Comelec, local governments, and other concerned agencies.
‘The PNP’s role in election security is likewise anchored on existing election laws, including Section 261(r) of the Omnibus Election Code, which provides for the deputation of law-enforcement agencies for the protection and security of the electoral process,’ it added.
Likewise, the PNP can also build on its recent experience during the September 2026 BARMM parliamentary elections, which the PNP assessed as generally peaceful and orderly, while maintaining coordination with Comelec and other concerned agencies.
The PNP chief, Gen Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., said the additional time will allow the organization to prepare based on actual security conditions and lessons from previous elections.
‘We can look at what worked, what needs to be improved, and what new concerns we need to prepare for. By the time the elections come, our people should already know their roles and our coordination should already be in place,’ he added.
Nartatez said the will continue reviewing election-security experiences and emerging local conditions as part of its preparations.
Coordination with Comelec and other stakeholders will help ensure that police support is aligned with the actual security requirements of the 2028 BSKE.
Rather than limiting preparations to election day, the PNP will continue monitoring developments that may affect the security environment before and during the electoral period.