FOLLOWING the signing of Republic Act (RA) 12326, the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) on Sunday, September 28, 2026, denounced how the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) is being used for "political convenience."
In a statement, Namfrel noted how it has long doubted that the BSKE was being postponed due to alleged "fiscal necessity" as claimed by its proponents.
"Moving the BSKE to November 2028 would place it on the same calendar as the next national and local elections. This alignment invited legitimate questions about political motive rather than genuine fiscal necessity. That concern has now materialized as law," said Namfrel.
"Barangay officials are influential mobilizers in national campaigns. Synchronizing their continued incumbency with the 2028 national and local elections, rather than holding the BSKE separately and on time, only deepens the suspicion that this measure serves political convenience far more than it serves the public good," it added.
The next national and local elections is set on May 8, 2028.
Aside from the alleged misuse of the BSKE, the poll watchdog slammed the "normalization" of postponing the barangay and youth polls.
Namfrel said it is objectionable to have the BSKE deferred repeatedly and, thus, constantly depriving the public from electing their barangay and youth leaders.
"Barangay and SK elections are already the most frequently postponed democratic exercises in the country's history," said Namfrel.
"Each additional deferral normalizes the practice of legislating around the electorate rather than submitting to it, and makes the next postponement easier to justify," it added.
The postponement of the BSKE to November 2028 is already the second time it was deferred as it was originally scheduled in December 2025 but was moved to November 2026.
Given such position, Namfrel said it is in full support of plans to question RA 12326 before the Supreme Court by poll lawyers and other stakeholders.
"Namfrel will support and join the effort of individuals and groups moving to question the constitutionality of RA 12326," it said.
"We stand with these efforts and encourage other citizens, civil society organizations, and members of the election-monitoring community to do the same," added Namfrel.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the law postponing the BSKE from November 2026 to November 2028.
RA 12326 also affords incumbent barangay and SK officials, who were elected in October 2023, an additional two years in their terms. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
