MANILA – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia warned that postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled for Nov. 2, 2026, could result in the waste of around PHP8 billion already spent on election preparations.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel, Garcia said the Comelec has already incurred substantial expenses for equipment, personnel and other preparations for the grassroots polls.

“We simply state that the Comelec has already spent PHP8 billion. Our budget for the BSKE is PHP19 billion, leaving a balance of PHP11 billion,” Garcia said.

Of the remaining budget, PHP9 billion is allocated for teachers’ honoraria, PHP1 billion for training and another PHP1 billion for deployment expenses, he said.

Garcia said some of the PHP8 billion already spent could no longer be recovered if the elections are postponed.

“Some of that will be wasted—ballpens and indelible ink can dry out. While the printed ballots could potentially be used later if the election is postponed, we have already incurred overtime costs for personnel that cannot be recovered,” he said.

Comelec ready for November polls

Garcia said the Comelec is fully prepared to conduct the BSKE on Nov. 2 and is not considering postponement despite proposals seeking to defer the elections.

He stressed, however, that the decision to postpone the polls is a political matter that rests with Congress.

“That is a highly political issue. We cannot interfere in that matter. What we want to convey is that the Comelec is fully prepared to conduct the elections on Nov. 2,” Garcia said.

He said the Comelec would not concern itself with rumors or proposals regarding a possible postponement.

If approved, the postponement would be the second time the BSKE has been deferred. The elections were originally expected to be held in 2025 but were reset to 2026 by Congress.

“There was an election in 2023; there should have been another in 2025, but the BSKE was reset to 2026. That is entirely within Congress’ discretion,” Garcia said.

Garcia stresses importance of regular elections

Garcia also emphasized the importance of holding elections regularly, saying repeated postponements could create uncertainty in governance and leadership transitions.

“Having regular elections is crucial. Postponements create uncertainty in governance,” he said.

He said fixed terms provide certainty on when officials will either leave office or retain their positions, adding that election postponements also result in the loss of time, effort and resources invested in preparations.

“That is the benefit of fixed terms—such as the six-year terms for the President, Vice President, and Senators—because there is certainty regarding either a change in leadership or the retention of the incumbent,” Garcia said, clarifying that this was his personal view and not necessarily the position of the Comelec as an election administrator.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero has filed a measure seeking to extend the terms of barangay and SK officials from four to five years.

A similar measure has also been filed in the House of Representatives seeking to postpone the Nov. 2 BSKE to 2028.

Garcia reiterated that the final decision on any postponement rests with the legislative and executive branches, while the Comelec remains prepared to conduct the elections as scheduled./PNA