Suppressed suffrage

When was the last time you shaded a ballot for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE)? For many, it is hard to recall, not because democracy is unimportant, but because elections have been repeatedly postponed, turning a sacred duty into a movable and trivial errand.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently signed Republic Act No. 12232, once again postponing the BSKE and granting another year in power to the current barangay officials. What was once supposed to be a rare exception has now become the norm, with barangay elections treated as disposable and their schedule bent at the will of those in power.

This is not the first time. The last barangay elections, scheduled for 2022, were already delayed to October 2023, a blatant mockery of the people’s right to choose their leaders. Each postponement sets a dangerous precedent: that the lifeblood of democracy can be manipulated, bargained away, or erased under the guise of convenience and political agenda.

The Supreme Court (SC) itself ruled in 2023 that such postponements are unconstitutional: “The power to elect is the source of legitimacy – not the power to legislate extensions.” Still, instead of opening precincts on the first Monday of December 2025, the administration twisted the ruling and pushed the BSKE further to November 2, 2026. Worse, they extended the term of office from three years to four. If this is not deception, then what is? 

No administration is above the Constitution, and they cannot selectively implement whatever favors them and revise what doesn’t. Otherwise, this isn’t service anymore; it is already a desired indulgence to power.

Barangay officials also cannot claim injustice over not completing a “full” three-year term. By the time they filed their candidacy, they already knew the irregularity of the cycle. The true remedy should have been to reset the electoral calendar, even if that meant shortening terms, not endlessly stretching them.

As defense, Pres. Marcos Jr. insists the delay is necessary to prioritize the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections in October, arguing that the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) must devote its full resources there. Yet this reasoning only underscores the misplaced priorities of the government, which uses peace efforts in Mindanao as cover while steadily chipping away at the foundations of democracy nationwide.

For the past decades, Mindanao has been subjected to armed conflicts and separatist ideologies as well as misunderstandings with the national government. As much as the BARMM parliamentary elections will aid in alleviating and extinguishing rooted disputes, the real peace effort can only be realized through voter awareness and preparedness. 

If the government really treats the BARMM elections as important as any elections, then the COMELEC should have prepared in advance and doubled efforts to oversee the BSKE 2025 and BARMM Parliamentary Elections. True enough, contrary to Marcos Jr.’s claims, COMELEC asserts they are ready for both. In fact, the electoral commission said that preparation will not cease, as if the polls will still push through. Additionally, BARMM and its partner organizations highlighted that they harness their campaign for voters’ education.

But this problem is independent of the BSKE; this is beyond people’s control. It is also essential for other parts of the country to continue their right to choose. Our right to vote doesn’t end even if there are simultaneous events that need as much attention. 

Here’s the real catch. Other events are just used as an excuse to sugarcoat political favors and promises. In the words of Atty. Romulo Macalintal, “[It is just] to fulfill the promise made by legislators who ran in the past election to barangay officials to gain their patronage and assistance in the 2025 elections. That if they win, they will postpone the elections and extend the term of office of the barangay officials.” 

Reality hits, and we’re repeatedly slapped. This is not public service anymore. They are just making up excuses to ensure their power and influence continue. Every time BSKE is cancelled, there is no public mandate, no consent from the people, and the next thing we know, the polls are moved. It’s as if we should just take in what they give us. To the public servants who reek of greed for power and influence, revisit the constitution and remember that your power emanates from us, not the other way around. In the 21st century, history will remember, and we will not forget that our votes were disregarded in exchange for political favors.

This cannot go in circles. Public office is not meant to be a lifetime business; it is a genuine calling. It cannot be treated lightly as if public service is the same as asking for an extension for a school performance deadline. “Ma’am, paki extend naman!” This is not a responsibility for the weak, for when one falls short, extension is a resort. There’s just one endpoint—either they deliver, or they don’t, and whichever leads the way, they must take accountability. There is no room for deploying mechanisms that give in to political clownery. 

Let it be realized that the recent ruckus in BSKE goes beyond the argument of extension; it is about suppression of the very foundation of democracy—suffrage, our right to vote the best-fitting public servants regardless of their terms of service. This is more than just a decision made by the administration; it was meant to betray its people. The constitution can never be tweaked to favor power; it should be made to serve the best interests of the people and not private pockets. 

Another postponement is too many, and every missed election we afford, democracy is delayed. Delaying the supposed elections means denying democracy, and the government, at its core, denies accountability and defies our rights.