AS FATE OF ELECTIONS HANGS: Naga Comelec takes ‘wait-and-see’ stance on BSKE

By Jason B. Neola

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Naga City is continuing preparations for the November 2 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), with local election officer Maico Julia saying he would prefer that the polls push through as scheduled because a city plebiscite is set to be held simultaneously.

Julia said the Naga City government could save about P20 million if the plebiscite is conducted together with the BSKE. If held separately, however, the city could spend as much as P50 million, he said.

He said the central office of the Commission on Election is awaiting Congress’ decision on proposed measures seeking to postpone the 2026 BSKE. Until a postponement is passed into law, the Comelec will continue its preparations on the assumption that the elections will proceed on November 2, this year.

Julia, a lawyer, said the Comelec is hoping Congress will act on the postponement proposal by the first week of September, ahead of the scheduled filing of certificates of candidacy from September 28 to October 5, this year.

The national Comelec is also urging Congress to make an early decision on the proposed postponement, preferably before mid-September, to avoid unnecessary operational expenses and allow the poll body to streamline its logistical preparations.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia made the appeal Monday, Aug. 24, during a Senate hearing, noting that the agency is simultaneously preparing for the nationwide local elections and the inaugural parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Garcia said election materials already purchased—including ballots, indelible ink, pens and thumbprint takers—would not necessarily go to waste if the BSKE is postponed because most could still be used in future elections. He noted, however, that some operational expenses could no longer be recovered.

Training for public school teachers who will serve on electoral boards is scheduled to start in about three weeks. Garcia said postponing the elections after the training begins would mean unrecoverable expenses for honoraria, transportation and training venues.

He also warned that printed voter lists could become obsolete if postponement leads to renewed voter registration, requiring the Comelec to print updated voter rosters.

Julia said the Comelec has already spent about P8 billion for election materials and other requirements, including indelible ink, ball pens, ballot printing, transportation and other election paraphernalia. He noted that some materials, particularly pens and inks, have expiration dates.

Another P11 billion has been allocated for salaries, transportation and other operational expenses, he added.

Julia said that once Congress passes a law postponing the BSKE, the Comelec could halt further spending for election materials and other preparations.

The Senate is currently considering measures seeking to defer the 2026 BSKE, but the timing of the decision remains a concern for the Comelec as preparations for the scheduled November polls continue.