Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said he respects the pending proposal of House of Congress seeking to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

However, Garcia noted differences between the versions being considered by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Garcia said the House proposal appears to seek an outright postponement of the elections, citing the country's energy crisis, while the Senate measure authored by Sen. Imee Marcos and Senator Chiz Escudero was framed as a bill fixing the term of barangay and SK officials from four years to five years, with the postponement of the elections being incidental to the extension.

He said these distinctions could have legal implications because the Supreme Court had previously imposed stringent requirements for postponing elections.

Garcia said the Comelec had asked Congress to resolve the issue before the end of September because the filing of certificates of candidacy for the barangay and SK elections is scheduled from 8 September to 5 October.

The poll chief also warned that further postponement could create operational and financial problems for the poll body.

He said the Comelec has already spent about P8 billion for preparations and has around P11 billion remaining.

A postponement could require additional funding or the realignment of existing Comelec resources.

Among the preparations that could be affected are the printing of voter lists for about 225,000 polling precincts, contracts with job order and casual employees, and other election-related work already undertaken.

Garcia said some election materials, including ballpens and indelible markers, have a limited shelf life and may no longer be usable if the elections are moved for more than a year.

He said that if the elections are postponed, the Comelec would also resume voter registration, potentially affecting the voter lists prepared for the original election date.

Garcia said the Comelec hopes Congress would settle the matter by September and, if the elections are postponed in relation to preparations for the 2028 national and local elections, preferably no later than May 2027.

On the other hand, Garcia said the Comelec is also conducting a massive voter education campaign to counter misinformation and disinformation ahead of the Bangsamoro elections.

He urged the media to help disseminate accurate information, particularly as election preparations continue despite the recent security incident.

“We may not be able to arrest you, but we will fight you with the truth,” Garcia said, referring to those spreading misinformation and disinformation.

“The truth is, the election will push through on 14 September.”

Garcia said the Comelec would continue to avoid direct communication with candidates and political figures whenever possible to prevent perceptions of political interference.

Instead, the poll body would obtain security and other election-related information through its local officials and security agencies.

He said the Comelec remains confident that the 14 September elections in the Bangsamoro will proceed normally and that all election materials will reach polling places on time.