Senate approves on third reading bill postponing barangay, SK polls to December 2022

September 30, 2019

Senators on Monday approved the postponement of the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to December 5, 2022, effectively extending to another year the term of office of incumbent village and youth leaders.

With 21 senators voting yes, Senate Bill No. 1043, was passed on third and final reading after the Senate Electoral Reforms Committee chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos submitted its report in early September.

If enacted into law, there will be two elections in 2022 - the presidential elections in May and the synchronized barangay and SK elections seven months after.

The first bill approved by the Senate in the 18th Congress, the measure initially proposed to have the barangay and SK elections to take place on second Monday of May 2023.

But senators, during last week's debates, settled on December 2022 schedule, finding the five-year extension of office on village and youth leaders too long.

Following the December 2022 local poll exercise, the subsequent synchronized barangay and SK elections shall be held on the first Monday of December 2025 and every three years thereafter.

Under SB 1043, the elected officials shall assume office at noon of January 1, 2023.

The most recent barangay and SK elections were held in May 2018. Originally, it was supposed to take place in October 2017.

If signed into law, it will be the third time that the barangay and SK elections will be postponed under the Duterte administration. DMS