Comelec requires birth certificates for BSKE bets

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

For the first time, aspiring candidates in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) must submit a birth certificate when filing their certificates of candidacy (COC), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced Friday, Feb. 20.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the additional requirement is included in the guidelines for COC filing set for Sept. 28–Oct. 5, 2026, ahead of the BSKE on Nov. 2, 2026.

He said birth certificates will also be required in the 2028 national and local elections.

Garcia maintained that the new requirement does not violate any law and does not impose an additional qualification on candidates.

He said the measure is intended solely to verify a candidate’s identity, age, and Filipino citizenship.

“In our view, the birth certificate is not prohibited by law because it serves to prove that you were born in the Philippines and that your birth date or age is true. There is nothing wrong with requiring its submission,” Garcia said.

Garcia clarified that the requirement differs from the mandatory drug testing for aspirants previously enforced by the poll body.

The Supreme Court (SC) in 2008 ruled mandatory drug testing for candidates unconstitutional, saying it added a qualification not provided under the Constitution.

“What the SC prohibits is the act of adding a qualification itself. We did not add any qualification by requiring the submission,” he added.

Garcia said preparations for the Nov. 2 BSKE are in full swing and that the elections will proceed as scheduled.

The commission has printed about 92 million ballots, including 70 million for regular voters and 22 million for Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Nearly 60 percent of voter verification has been completed, and the procurement of election materials is almost finished, he said.

Garcia noted that preparations have improved since the last BSKE postponement and expressed hope that there will be no further delays.

“Elections should be held regularly because they are awaited by residents. It may only be a barangay election, but it is the voters’ chance to determine whether their leaders are deserving of their votes,” he said.

He also cited the timing of the Nov. 2 polls, which coincide with All Souls’ Day, when many voters return to their hometowns, potentially boosting turnout.

Nov. 2 has been declared a special nonworking day.

“We should not underestimate the BSKE. Many of the country’s problems start at the barangay level, and therefore, its importance is double that of any other election,” Garcia said.