THE Senate approved on 3rd and final reading a bill seeking for the postponement of the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections (BSKE) from May to December 5, 2022.
Voting 21-0 on Monday, Senate Bill No. 1043 seeks to extend the term of office of the incumbent village and youth leaders to another year.
On one hand, if enacted into law, two elections in 2022 will be held – the presidential elections in May, and BSKE seven months after.
On the other hand, this is the third time under President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration that BSKE will be postponed.
Moreover, the first bill approved by the Senate during the 18th Congress is the postponement of BSKE to May 2023. But over the concern that “five years is too long” for current officials’ terms of office, the Senate debated and reduced the time to Dec. 5, 2022.
Following this, is the next BSKE on the first Monday of Dec. 2025, and every three years thereafter.
Meanwhile, under SB 1043, elected BSKE officials shall assume office at noon of January 1, 2023.