July Voter Registration Suspended

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended the nationwide voter registration initially scheduled for July 1 to 11 as part of preparations for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) in December.

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"The voter registration will now take place in the last week of October after the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, and will run until July 2026," Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.

According to Garcia, the rescheduled voter registration will serve as preparation for the BSKE in November 2026, in case the proposed measure extending the term of barangay officials is enacted into law.

Although voter registration has been suspended, he said the Comelec will still continue with other BSKE preparations, as the proposed measure has yet to be signed by President Marcos.

Even if the measure is signed into law, Garcia added that the legality of extending the terms of barangay and SK officials could still be challenged before the Supreme Court.

He recalled that the Supreme Court previously issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending the implementation of a law that postponed the 2022 BSKE.

"What if we stop our preparations, and then the President doesn't sign the law or a TRO is issued again? It's better to proceed, at least with the procurement," Garcia explained in Filipino.