No More Barangay Polls This November — Marcos Signs Law Extending Term to 5 Years
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12326, a measure that fixes the term of barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members at five years, effectively scrapping the Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE) that were originally set for November 2, 2026.
The new law amends RA 12232, the earlier statute that set barangay and SK terms. With RA 12326 now in place, incumbent barangay captains, kagawads, and SK officials across the country will stay in their posts longer, with the next BSKE moved to November 13, 2028.
Because the November 2026 polls are officially off, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has begun canceling its entire calendar of activities tied to that election. This includes the filing of certificates of candidacy, which was supposed to run from September 28 to October 5, 2026. Also scrapped are the standard pre-election restrictions that come with any BSKE — the ban on disbursement of public funds, and the freeze on transfers, appointments, promotions, and suspensions of government personnel. The election period that was due to start October 3, 2026 will likewise not push through.
Comelec has indicated that voter registration, which was suspended in preparation for the now-cancelled polls, will reopen by the second week of November 2026.
What This Means for Barangays Nationwide
The cancellation affects every barangay in the country. Voters who were gearing up to elect new barangay captains, kagawads, and SK chairpersons this November will not be doing so — at least not until 2028.
For sitting barangay officials, this means their current terms are extended under the new law. Barangay captains and councilors who may have been preparing to step down, run again, or hand over to a successor will instead remain in office. The same goes for SK officials, who were likely lining up youth candidates for the 2026 race — those plans are now moot.
Aspiring candidates who had been organizing campaigns, lining up slates, or preparing paperwork for the scrapped October filing period will need to shelve those plans until closer to 2028.
The suspension of the usual pre-election restrictions is also worth noting. Local government units that had been holding off on hiring, promotions, or fund releases in anticipation of the election ban can now proceed normally, since those restrictions were tied directly to the now-cancelled BSKE.
What Residents Should Know
Barangay officials currently in place — whoever holds those posts in your barangay right now — remain your officials, unless removed through other legal means. There is no barangay election to prepare for this November 2026.
Voter registration, paused for the cancelled polls, is expected to reopen in the second week of November 2026, according to Comelec's announcement. Residents planning to register or update their records should watch for the official reopening date rather than the earlier BSKE-linked deadlines, which no longer apply.
Anyone who had already begun preparing a certificate of candidacy for the barangay or SK race should note that the September 28–October 5, 2026 filing window will not push through.
Quick Summary
What: RA 12326 fixes barangay and SK official terms at 5 years, canceling the November 2, 2026 Barangay and SK Elections
Where: Nationwide
When: Next BSKE moved to November 13, 2028; voter registration reopens second week of November 2026
Impact: All sitting barangay and SK officials nationwide remain in office under the new term; candidates and voters should hold off on election-related plans until 2028
Source: National PIO/PCO release, Commission on Elections (Comelec)