The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reset the scheduled voter registration for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from July to late October this year.

“Surely, this voter registration from July 1 to 11 will not push through. It will happen in the last week of October after the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections and will last until July 2026,” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said in an interview on Monday.

The first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) sets on Oct. 13.

“Voter registration cannot continue because 11 days are not enough. The Bangsamoro (voters) might get confused if voter registration will be conducted and they won’t be able to vote in the BPE. The registration is for BSKE, we will just continue voter registration after the BPE, last week of October,” Garcia said.

Garcia reiterated that they will continue to prepare for the BSKE, which is set on Dec. 1, until President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs a law postponing it.

“What if we stop our preparations but the law isn’t signed or someone goes to the Supreme Court and gets a temporary restraining order (TRO)? We will be the ones facing the problem,” he said.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified last week the bicameral conference committee report on the bill extending the term of incumbent barangay and SK officials.

Under the proposed law, the term of office of all elected barangay and SK officials shall be extended to four years. At present, barangay and SK officials serve a three-year term.

According to Garcia, they will push through with their procurement activities but with a condition. (PNA)