ILOILO City – Barangay officials given two more years in office following the postponement of the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are facing heightened public scrutiny, with Ilonggos warning that the extended terms should be used to correct failures and fulfill promises before voters finally pass judgment in 2028.
Grassroots reactions gathered in Iloilo City showed that while some residents see the postponement as an opportunity for continuity, others are frustrated that voters must wait longer to replace officials they consider ineffective.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12326, moving the BSKE from November 2026 to November 2028 and effectively giving incumbent barangay and SK officials five-year terms.
For “Inday,” a 49-year-old self-employed resident of Iloilo City Proper, the extension may benefit performing officials but could also prolong the stay of those who have failed their constituents.
“Sa mga maayo, wala problema, pero sa mga pabungol-bungol, unfair naman na ya sa ga-serbisyo sang insakto, kag sa pumoluyo nga ginaserbisyohan,” Inday said.
She also raised concerns about favoritism at the barangay level but said the postponement could give officials an opportunity to correct their shortcomings.
“Ang positive side sang postponement, may kahigayunan sila nga kay-uhon ang sala nila,” she added.
Inday said the additional two years should be enough for barangay officials to make good on their commitments to constituents.
“Tani mahimasmasan nila ang kapalpakan nila, tani kay-uhon man nila,” she stressed. “Kay ga-base man kami sa pangako nila sa amon, kag performance sa barangay…kay ti daw wala man bala tupa aw,” she said.
For other residents, however, postponing the elections deprive voters of an immediate opportunity to change their barangay leadership.
Jay Manalo, a 48-year-old trisikad driver from Barangay Concepcion, Iloilo City Proper, said elections keep officials conscious of the possibility that voters could remove them from office.
“Ang ma-pierde makulbaan gid sila kon tuloy ang election…dapat tani tuloy ang election,” Manalo said.
He expressed skepticism that the postponement would produce meaningful political change.
“Bisan sa 2028 pa, sila man gihapon ang mapungko… Mas nami na tani nga buslan sila, kay muna man gihapon, wala pagbag-o.”
Fellow trisikad driver Hilton Casipe, 48, also of Barangay Concepcion, shared Manalo’s concern, particularly over favoritism in barangay governance.
“Hawak man gihapon nila ang tawo… Kon parehas man gihapon ang kapitan nga may napaboran, waay pagbag-o,” Casipe said.
But Gemely Daria, 50, of Mandurriao district, welcomed the postponement, saying the election-free period could give voters more time to carefully consider their choices.
“Okay man ang postponement sang election para tawhay ang year nga ni, kag mahatagan tion ang mga ga-boto mag-panumdom sang ila i-vote sa next election,” Daria said.
She nevertheless stressed the importance of good governance among those seeking office in 2028.
“Sa 2028 elections, sa mga magpadalagan, tani maayo man ang ila pagdumala kag magtawhay man,” she said.
The Commission on Elections has halted preparations for the 2026 BSKE following the enactment of RA 12326.
Under the law, incumbent barangay officials will be considered to have served a full term. Those who reach the term limit will no longer be eligible to seek reelection to the same positions in November 2028.
For barangay officials, the postponement therefore provides more than additional time in office. It also gives constituents two more years to measure their performance against their promises before voters return to the polls.
Earlier, Mayor Raisa Treñas said the postponement should raise — not relax — expectations on incumbent village and youth officials, and that their extended stay in office must translate into more work and better public service.
With the next BSKE moved from November 2026 to November 2028, Treñas stressed that barangay and SK officials now have additional time to complete programs, address community concerns and demonstrate what they can accomplish with a longer mandate.
“For me, ang importante is what we do with the additional time given to us,” Treñas said.
Treñas said the extension should carry greater responsibility because barangay officials are the government representatives closest to residents and are often the first people approached when problems emerge in communities.
Their familiarity with conditions on the ground also makes barangay officials crucial partners of the city government in delivering programs and services directly to residents, she added./PN
