Marcos signs law moving BSKE, setting 5-year terms for barangay, SK officials

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12326, officially postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) and establishing five‑year terms for all local village and youth officials.

The measure was transmitted to the Palace by Congress on Thursday and formally signed into law on Friday, ending months of legislative debate over the timing of the polls and the length of tenure for grassroots leaders.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Marcos emphasized that the extended term is meant to strengthen governance and continuity, not to entrench incumbents. “This is not an additional period in office. This is an additional period of responsibility to the people,” the President said. He urged current officials to use the extra time to improve service delivery, finish ongoing programs, and focus directly on the needs of communities, families, and the youth.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed the signing during a briefing in Ilocos Norte, noting that the longer term structure is designed to help barangay leaders plan and execute long‑term development projects. Castro stressed that the law is intended to encourage productivity and accountability, not complacency. “This is so that they would work. So for barangay officials, what we need from you is work,” she stated, adding that village leaders play a vital role in maintaining peace, order, and public cleanliness.

The new law effectively resets the electoral calendar and standardizes the tenure of barangay and SK officials at five years, aligning them with the term length of higher elective positions. No date for the rescheduled BSKE was immediately announced, but the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Elections are expected to issue implementing rules and schedule the polls in the coming weeks.