Postponement of village, SK polls hurdles 2nd reading at House

Under the measure, the subsequent synchronized BSKE was also set on the first Monday of 2026 and every three years thereafter. (File Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed on second reading a measure seeking to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) scheduled on Dec. 5, 2022 to Dec. 4, 2023.

During the plenary session, the chamber approved via viva voce House Bill 4673, which proposes to allow the deferment of this year’s BSKE and move its date to the first Monday of December 2023.

Under the measure, the subsequent synchronized BSKE was also set on the first Monday of 2026 and every three years thereafter.

House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said the chamber is determined to approve the bill by Oct. 1 and have it signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. before the scheduled BSKE on Dec. 5.

Once passed into law, incumbent barangay and SK officials will retain their position on holdover capacity “unless sooner removed or suspended for cause.”

Dalipe said Speaker Martin Romualdez is supportive of the proposal because this would allow the Commission and Elections and the local government units to better prepare for clean and orderly barangay polls and provide the government ample time to apply corrective adjustments to the honoraria of poll workers.

“We need to pass this law ASAP because time is of the essence. The barangay and SK elections are just a few months away so we are hoping that we can approve this in the House on or before Oct. 1. Hopefully, the Senate will do the same so that we can have an approved measure in time for the President’s signature before the election period,” Dalipe said.

The last barangay and SK elections were held on May 14, 2018.