Imee eyes BSKE in 2027

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April 27, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Citing the need for more funding amid the ongoing oil crisis, Sen. Imee Marcos has filed a bill postponing the November 2026 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to October 2027.

Since the BSKE schedule conflicts with All Souls’ Day when millions of Filipinos travel to their home provinces, Marcos also said pushing through with the original timeline could lead to massive voter disenfranchisement due to soaring transportation costs.

“All Souls’ Day is important for Filipinos to pay their respects to the dead, but because of increasing travel expenses, it may discourage others to go home, let alone to vote,” she said.

“The oil crisis has triggered significant increases in transportation fares, creating a serious risk of disenfranchisement, especially for voters registered outside their residence and marginalized sectors already struggling with the cost of living,” Marcos added.

A one-year postponement, she noted, would provide ample time for voters to legally transfer their electoral registrations to their current localities, eliminating the need for expensive trips just to cast a ballot.

Instead of spending on the polls, Marcos proposed realigning the multibillion-peso budget to mitigate the effects of inflation.

She said delaying the elections would ensure continuity in local governance, allowing incumbent barangay officials to concentrate on community interventions and crisis management rather than campaigning.

“Let us honor the departed and allow Filipinos to focus on prayer and remembrance in November, without the added strain of voting and local politicking,” she said.

Lawmakers are split on postponing the BSKE. Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian enumerated several reasons why another suspension should be discouraged.

“First of all, that is unconstitutional. Second, because it’s the second suspension and third, many people are hoping to choose their local leader,” Gatchalian said.

Sen. JV Ejercito stressed that any move to defer the polls must align with the strict parameters established by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said politics is behind calls to postpone the BSKE.

“I know that it is politics, and they are making promises so that they will create a good impression to our barangay officials because the 2028 elections is coming up,” he said.