Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Erwin Garcia said he respected the pending proposals in Congress seeking to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), but noted differences between the House and Senate versions.

Garcia said the House proposal appeared to seek an outright postponement citing the country’s energy crisis, while the Senate measure authored by Sens. Imee Marcos and Francis “Chiz” Escudero was framed as a bill extending the terms of barangay and SK officials from four to five years, with the postponement of elections incidental to the extension.

He said the distinction could have legal implications, noting that the Supreme Court had previously imposed stringent requirements for postponing elections.

Garcia said the Comelec had asked Congress to settle the issue by the end of September because the filing of certificates of candidacy is scheduled from 8 September to 5 October.

Further postponement, he warned, could create operational and financial problems for the poll body, which has spent about P8 billion on preparations and has around P11 billion remaining.

Preparations that could be affected include printing voter lists for about 225,000 polling precincts, contracts with job order and casual employees and other election-related work.

Garcia said the Comelec hoped Congress would settle the matter by September or, if the postponement is linked to preparations for the 2028 national and local elections, no later than May 2027.

Meanwhile, the Comelec is conducting a voter education campaign to counter misinformation and disinformation ahead of the Bangsamoro elections.

“We may not be able to arrest you, but we will fight you with the truth,” Garcia said, referring to those spreading false information. “The truth is, the election will push through on 14 September.”