DUMAGUETE CITY — Negros Oriental 1st District Representative Emmanuel Iway was among 13 members of the House of Representatives who voted against House Bill No. 10971, the measure postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from November 2, 2026 to the second Monday of November 2028. The bill has since been signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Iway, who explained his dissenting vote in a Cebuano-language Facebook post, is the only lawmaker from Negros Oriental and the only district representative from the Visayas among the 13 who voted no.
House Approves BSKE Deferral, 211 to 13
The House approved HB 10971 on third and final reading on Tuesday, September 8, with 211 affirmative votes, 13 negative votes, and one abstention. The bill fixes the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials at five years and moves the previously scheduled November 2026 polls to 2028.
The Senate passed its own version, Senate Bill No. 2387, by a 13-5 vote on September 14. The House then adopted the Senate measure as an amendment to HB 10971 on September 16, bypassing the bicameral conference committee.
Iway’s Four Reasons for Voting No
In his Facebook post, Iway outlined four grounds for opposing the measure.
On suffrage, Iway said voting is not an ordinary process but the core of democracy, noting that the barangay and SK polls had already been postponed several times in past years. He said there was no further need to delay the voice of every Filipino.
On public funds, Iway rejected the argument that postponement would save money. He said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had already completed its preparations for the November 2026 polls, with billions of pesos spent on equipment, ballots, and logistics, and that a postponement would only waste what had already been disbursed.
On accountability, Iway said regular elections give officials a fixed period to demonstrate accomplishments and give constituents the opportunity to render judgment, ensuring barangay funds and projects are used properly.
On term length, Iway said he is not opposed to a five-year term for barangay and SK officials, but that the proper path is a clear, agreed-upon law — not the repeated postponement of scheduled elections.
“Our stand is for proper process and for your basic democratic right.” — Rep. Emmanuel Iway, translated from Cebuano
The 13 Lawmakers Who Voted Against the Measure
According to a graphic circulating under the #UsapangKongreso tag on social media, the 13 House members who voted no are:
- Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Dinagat Islands, Lone District
- Rep. Percy Cendaña, Akbayan
- Rep. Renee Co, Kabataan
- Rep. Leila de Lima, Mamamayang Liberal
- Rep. Chel Diokno, Akbayan
- Rep. Sarah Elago, Gabriela
- Rep. Gerald Galang, Valenzuela City, 2nd District
- Rep. Dadah Ismula, Akbayan
- Rep. Emmanuel Iway, Negros Oriental, 1st District
- Rep. Krisel Lagman, Albay, 1st District
- Rep. Iris Montes, 4K
- Rep. Eli San Fernando, Kamanggagawa
- Rep. Antonio Tinio, ACT Teachers
Marcos Signs RA 12326 Days Before COC Filing
President Marcos signed the measure into law on Thursday, September 24, as Republic Act 12326 — days before the filing of certificates of candidacy, which was set for September 28 to October 5.
The law limits barangay officials to two consecutive terms and SK officials to one term. Because of the two-year extension, incumbent barangay officials are deemed to have completed one term under the law, making those already serving a third consecutive term ineligible to run in 2028.
Comelec Suspends Preparations, Voter Registration to Reopen
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the law is immediately executory upon publication in the Official Gazette, and the commission has suspended all preparations for the November 2 polls. Garcia earlier said the postponement could affect approximately ₱8 billion already spent on election preparations, though some procured materials may still be used in future elections.
Voter registration is set to reopen in the second week of November and run until July 30, 2027, according to Comelec.
Supreme Court Challenge Looming
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has announced plans to file a voter’s petition asking the Supreme Court to review RA 12326, accusing the President and Congress of grave abuse of discretion. This is the third postponement of the BSKE under the Marcos administration, following deferments in 2022 and 2025.
By the Numbers
- 211 — affirmative votes in the House on HB 10971
- 13 — negative votes in the House; also the Senate vote tally approving SB 2387
- 5 — Senate votes against SB 2387
- ₱8 billion — approximate Comelec spending on November 2026 poll preparations, per Comelec Chairman Garcia
- July 30, 2027 — deadline for voter registration reopening under the new law
- 3 — number of BSKE postponements under the Marcos administration (2022, 2025, and now 2026)
Why This Matters
The signing of RA 12326 marks the third time the Marcos administration has deferred barangay and SK elections, extending the terms of some 62,000 barangay officials nationwide without a fresh public mandate. Comelec Chairman Garcia has acknowledged that approximately ₱8 billion in election preparations may have been wasted by the postponement. A legal challenge before the Supreme Court could further determine whether the deferral stands — or whether Filipinos will vote sooner than 2028.
Photo credit: Photo from #UsapangKongreso / Facebook
