• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod City Lone District Representative and Deputy Speaker Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is pushing for the postponement of the upcoming 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections for six months because of the fuel crisis the country is currently facing.
“I would rather use the allocated P13 billion to P14 billion for the elections, to augment the ongoing financial assistance,” Benitez disclosed on Wednesday.
He added he intends to pass legislation for it.
While the Supreme Court may deem it unconstitutional, for me there is a valid or just cause, because of the ongoing crisis, the lawmaker said.
“Some people even saying, we have to prepare, as it might be worse than the COVID pandemic,” Benitez said
“If that happens we should be ready,” the Bacolod solon said, adding that “we need all the available funds in order for us to respond accordingly.”
The filing of certificates of candidacy for the BSKE 2026 was set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on September 28 to October 5.
Election day is on November 2 this year.
The Comelec earlier said it is targeting to register 1.4 million new voters for the 2026 BSKE during a months-long nationwide registration.
The nationwide voter registration, which started on October 20 last year, will run until May 18, 2026.
The Comelec earlier assured that its preparation for the scheduled BSKE on Nov. 2 are continuing.
Comelec Chairperson George Garcia admitted he received information about supposed plans to postpone the village and youth polls.
“We have heard things like that (BSKE postponement) because of the current crisis,” Garcia said in an interview. “But the Comelec cannot stop preparing just because of the buzz or news. We still need to prepare.”
The original schedule of the BSKE polls was on December 1, 2025, but it was moved to Nov. 2 this year.
Republic Act No. 12232 set the next BSKE on Nov. 2, the first Monday of that month. It also established a four-year term for Barangay and SK officials.*
