The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday said the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will remain manual, as no new law has been enacted to change the election process or timetable.

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body has not received any legislation postponing the elections or altering existing procedures.

"The elections will remain manual," Laudiangco said, adding that Comelec is continuing its preparations for the synchronized barangay and youth council polls.

Laudiangco also announced the official election calendar for the 2026 BSKE.

The election period will run from Oct. 3 to Nov. 9, 2026, while the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) is scheduled from Sept. 28 to Oct. 5.

The poll body said the campaign period will be from Oct. 22 to 31, with Nov. 1 designated as the eve of the election, when campaigning is prohibited. Election Day is set for Nov. 2, 2026.

Aspiring candidates were reminded that premature campaigning is prohibited in barangay and SK elections.

Unlike national and local elections, where a Supreme Court ruling effectively allows candidates to campaign before the official campaign period because they are not yet considered candidates until the start of the campaign, barangay and SK elections are governed by a different rule under the Omnibus Election Code.

Laudiangco warned that individuals who campaign before the official campaign period for the BSKE may face election offense charges.