Marcos says he will sign bill postponing barangay, SK polls

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced he will sign the bill postponing the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

"I'll sign it," Marcos said in a media forum Bengaluru, India when asked if he intends to sign the bill or simply allow it to lapse into law.

Marcos pointed out that the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in October this year should be given focus.

The Philippines concluded its midterm national and local elections in May.

"We are facing one of the biggest elements here, kakatapos lang natin ng malaking eleksyon, midterm election... You have to remember, the BARMM election that is upcoming in October is the first time we have ever had this kind of election at all. Sa buong kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, hindi pa nagkaroon ng BARMM Parliament na hinalal ng tao. So, that is why it is so important," Marcos said.

“If that election (BARMM) fails, malaking bagay, malaking failure ‘yan doon sa peace process. Kaya’t kailangan na kailangan maging matagumpay ang pagganap ng halalan ng BARMM. And that’s why we really are focusing on that,” he added.

Earlier, Commission on Elections chairperson George Garcia said Malacañang informed the poll body of the law signing to be held on Tuesday, August 12.

The 2025 BSKE is initially set on December 1, 2025.

However, the Congress, in June, ratified a bicameral conference committee report seeking to extend the term of office for the barangay and SK officials from three to four years, and postpone the elections to the first Monday of November 2026. —LDF, GMA Integrated News