ILOILO City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 6 is pressing forward with preparations for the December 1 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) even as uncertainty looms over whether the polls will proceed.
Regional Director Dennis Ausan said the poll body is closely monitoring developments while awaiting a final decision from the Supreme Court and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on a bill seeking to extend the terms of incumbent barangay and SK officials.
“If the elections proceed as planned on December 1, then this will be the final registration period for that election. However, if the President signs the postponement bill, which extends the terms of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and barangay officials, the elections will not take place on Dec. 1. Unless a restraining order is secured, the term extension will go into effect,” Ausan said.
He stressed that preparations — such as cleaning up the voter registry, finalizing election guidelines, and coordinating with local government offices — are continuing.
“The Comelec is continuing its preparations for the elections, including voter registration and procurement processes. We are currently purchasing supplies such as paper, pens, and all other necessities for the election. We are simply preparing in case the Supreme Court’s decision differs from what we expect,” he added.
From August 1 to 10, a total of 137,467 new voters registered in Western Visayas, many of them first-time youth voters. Ausan credited the surge to “the enthusiastic involvement of young voters,” noting that their participation reflects “heightened civic engagement and commitment to shaping the future through electoral participation.”
The final days of the registration period saw a rush of applicants, resulting in long queues and congestion at Comelec offices. Ausan said the agency will reopen registration at a later date but advised the public to await an official announcement.
“Comelec Region 6 is ensuring that we are well-prepared and not caught off guard, which is why our preparations are ongoing,” he remarked.
The possible postponement has drawn mixed reactions from local officials and residents in Iloilo — some seeing it as an opportunity to complete projects, while others warned that term extensions should serve the public interest, not political convenience./PN
