Marcos Signs Law Moving Barangay Elections to 2028
BARANGAY ELECTIONS – The 2026 barangay elections will no longer push through after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed a measure extending the terms of local officials.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a new law extending the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to five years and moving the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to November 2028.
The signing took place just days before the scheduled filing of certificates of candidacy for the village elections, which had originally been set for November 2, 2026. The development effectively delays the polls and allows incumbent barangay and SK officials to remain in office under the new five-year term.
“Ang dagdag na panahon sa panunungkulan ay dagdag na panahon para maglingkod,” Marcos said in a Facebook post.
“Sa paglagda natin sa Republic Act No. 12326, na nagtatakda ng limang taong termino para sa mga opisyal ng barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan, malinaw ang ating inaasahan sa ating mga kasalukuyang opisyal. Gamitin ang panahong ito upang mas pagbutihin ang serbisyo, tapusin ang mga nasimulang programa at mas tutukan ang pangangailangan ng bawat komunidad, pamilya at kabataan,” he added.
Under Republic Act No. 12326, the BSKE will be conducted on the “second Monday of November 2028 and every 5 years thereafter.” The measure also provides a mechanism for filling vacancies in the Sangguniang Kabataan. Mayors may appoint replacements as long as the individuals meet the qualifications required under the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015.
The law further states that unused funds allocated for the postponed elections will remain available to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). These funds may be used for preparations for the 2028 National and Local Elections and other lawful expenses determined by the poll body.
The postponement also has financial implications, with reports estimating that around P8 billion had already been spent for preparations for the 2026 elections. COMELEC Chairperson George Garcia previously said election materials could still be utilized in future polls.
Meanwhile, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal questioned the move, describing it as “a three-year unauthorized term extension for incumbent officials.”
“This means three long years where we, the electorate, are stripped of our fundamental right of suffrage. It means three years of being governed by local officials who were not chosen by the ballot, but effectively thrust upon us through what amounts to a legislative appointment,” Macalintal said in a statement.
“This constitutes a grave violation of the Constitution, which empowers Congress to fix the term of office of barangay officials, but not to indefinitely prolong or extend their tenure without a genuine mandate from the people,” he said.
Macalintal further argued that postponing elections “cannot be done arbitrarily” and should be supported by “urgent, substantial, and compelling reasons.”
READ ALSO: Abegail Rait After Losing 2023 Barangay Election: “Maraming Salamat”
