Election prohibitions for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will take effect Friday, Sept. 18, despite pending legislation to postpone the polls, according Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Negros Island Region Director Lionel Marco Castillano said Thursday.
The prohibitions include a nationwide ban on releasing public works and social services funds, except those authorized by the COMELEC, and on appointing, hiring, promoting, or granting salary increases and privileges to public employees.
Although both the Senate and the House of Representatives have approved measures to postpone the BSKE to November 2028, Castillano clarified that preparations will proceed until a law is officially enacted.
Because the Senate adopted the House version of the measure, the bill is now enrolled and will be transmitted directly to the President for signature without undergoing a bicameral conference committee, he said.
COMELEC has requested that any law postponing the elections be enacted before the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs), scheduled for Sept. 28 to Oct. 5. If the law is enacted after filing begins, Castillano noted that the filed COCs will be rendered moot, Castillano said.
Under the current timeline, the official Election Period is set to run from Oct. 3 through Nov. 9.*
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