Comelec eyes training nearly 1M poll staff for 2026 BSKE

In preparation for the anticipated Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on November 2, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that it is targeting in September to conduct training for approximately one million election personnel.

Comelec spokesperson Atty. John Rex Laudiangco said on Monday that the trainees will include public school teachers, Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, and other individuals who will serve as electoral board support or canvassing board staff.

“Itong natitirang buwan ng Setyembre ay ibubuhos namin sa training ng halos mga isang milyon na mga magsisilbing mga electoral boards support staff, kasama na po pati ang PNP, na hahalili bilang special electoral board at mga canvassing boards natin,” Laudiangco said on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(We will dedicate the remaining weeks of September to training nearly one million individuals who will serve as electoral board support staff, including PNP personnel who will act as special electoral boards and canvassing boards.)

According to Laudiangco, the official ballots for the BSKE have already been printed, while most of the required accountable forms and equipment have already been procured and stored in agency warehouses.

He added that Comelec’s preparations for the BSKE will continue unless new legislation is enacted to override Republic Act No. 12232, which sets the regular BSKE for the first Monday of November 2026 and every four years thereafter.

“So, as you can see, Comelec’s level of preparation is very high, and this will only halt if a new law is passed. As we have said, until a law replaces Republic Act No. 12232, the Commission on Elections will not stop its preparations,” he said in Filipino.

Currently, several bills seeking either to extend the terms of barangay and SK officials or to postpone the BSKE remain pending in Congress.

Laudiangco reiterated Comelec chairperson George Garcia’s appeal to lawmakers, expressing hope that Congress will act on the pending bills by September.

He noted that a clear decision would help the agency determine whether to proceed with the training, which requires significant funding.

“Kaya nga po humiling si Chairman Garcia sa ating Kongreso na kung anuman po ang magiging aksyon sa mga panukalang batas sana magkaroon na ng linaw dito ngayong September, nang sa gayon kung sakali man talagang merong batas na ay pwede naming ipagpaliban ‘yung training dahil gagastos din ang Comelec diyan,” Laudiangco explained.

(That is why Chairman Garcia appealed to Congress: whatever action they intend to take on these proposed bills, we hope for clarity this September. If a law postponing the elections is passed, we can hold off on the training because Comelec will be spending money on it.)

“Isipin ninyo po, isang milyon na mga katao ang ite-training namin, eh pagka po ipinagpaliban, sayang po ang magagastos diyan dahil uulitin po namin ang training nila kung kailan man po nalalapit ang susunod na halalan,” he added.

(Imagine we are training one million people. If the elections are postponed, that expenditure will go to waste because we would have to repeat the training closer to the eventual election date.)

Following the scheduled training in September, Comelec plans to focus on deployment operations the following month.

As of March, over 3.1 million Filipinos had registered to vote for the 2026 BSKE, according to Comelec.

Registered voters aged 15 to 30 are eligible to vote for SK officials, while the voter base for barangay officials consists of registered voters aged 18 and above.

COC filing

Laudiangco reminded individuals planning to file their Certificate of Candidacy (COC) about new additional requirements, including the submission of birth certificates to verify age eligibility and Filipino citizenship.

For SK positions, candidates must be between 18 and 24 years old, while candidates for elective barangay positions must be at least 18 years old.

“In 2013 and 2018, nearly 7,000 cases were filed by Comelec simply because over-aged individuals still managed to file COCs. These are the kinds of issues we want to prevent moving forward,” Laudiangco said.

He added that individuals filing COCs should ensure they download the newly promulgated and issued official form.

Election regulations

Laudiangco strictly warned candidates to comply with election regulations.

The Comelec set the BSKE campaign period from October 22 to October 31.

Laudiangco noted that upon filing their COCs, all individuals are legally considered candidates and become subject to election rules.

Any form of campaigning conducted prior to that period will be classified by Comelec as premature campaigning, which is an election offense, he said.

He emphasized that premature campaigning is an election offense carrying penalties such as disqualification, imprisonment for one to six years, deprivation of the right to vote, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

“‘Yung pong ating mga regulasyon sa pangangampanya—sukat, saan ilalagay, common poster areas, yung kaayusan ng pangangampanya, bawal ang bastos, bawal ang nagdi-discriminate, bawal ang nambu-bully, bawal ang violence—lahat po 'yan ay ipapatupad ng Comelec,” Laudiangco said.

(Our campaign regulations—covering poster dimensions, authorized locations, common poster areas, proper campaign conduct, and strict bans on vulgarity, discrimination, bullying, and violence—will all be strictly enforced by Comelec.)

Laudiangco said they will not hesitate to file election offense charges and other criminal complaints, along with disqualification petitions, against anyone caught violating election rules

The Comelec spokesperson also warned against vote-buying and vote-selling.

He highlighted the prohibition on the disbursement of government financial aid, such as MAIFIP and AICS, 10 days before the election to prevent the misuse of public resources. — RSJ, GMA News