Marcos eyes barangay and SK polls in January or February 2023

MANILA, Philippines — The May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections could be postponed and instead be held either January or February 2023, Senator Imee Marcos said Wednesday.

During the hearing of the Senate committee on electoral reforms, Marcos said there was a consensus to defer the barangay and SK polls but they have yet to agree on the date. Marcos is the chairman of the panel.

For Minority Senator Franklin Drilon, the Barangay and SK elections can be postponed to May 2021, to give the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ample time to prepare for the 2022 national and local elections.

“Hindi pa nagkakasundo sa date pero mukhang lahat sang-ayon na i-postpone na ‘yung barangay at SK elections dahil hindi talaga maaari na 2020…  Everybody has agreed that there should be a postponement,” Marcos told reporters in an interview after the hearing.

“Ngayon ang diskusyon, ‘yung gusto ng minority represented by Senator Drilon kanina, sinasabi niya na 2021 Mayo para hindi na dikit sa 2022 (national and local elections,” she added 

READ: Drilon proposes postponement of barangay, SK polls to May 2021  

However, Marcos said that in Senate Bill Nos. 201 and 222, filed by Senator Bong Go and herself, it has been proposed that the barangay and SK elections be held after the May 2022 general elections.

Under Go’s proposal, barangay and SK polls should be held in October 2022 while Marcos’ proposal states it should be held in May 2023.

“I-postpone na natin pagkatapos ng national elections dahil napakadaming dapat gawin… Nandyan ‘yung diskusyon ng mga recodification ng batas. Kailangan ayusin muna ‘yun,” she said.

Marcos added that she and Go could come up with a compromise that the polls be held around January or February 2023.

“Ang sabi ko May 2023, kung masyadong mahaba ‘yun, siguro magtawaran na lang kami ni Senator Bong Go sa October 2022. Somewhere in the middle, baka January or February 2023,” the senator said.

During the hearing, Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho requested that should next year’s barangay and SK elections be postponed, legislators should draft a framework that will allow at least one year gap from the May 2022 general elections before the barangay and SK polls are held. /kga