Iloilo youth leaders say they are election-ready

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Amid renewed calls to again suspend the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), youth leaders in Iloilo said they will defer to the national government’s decision while stressing their readiness for any electoral scenario.

The Panlalawigang Pederasyon ng Sangguniang Kabataan (PPSK) of Iloilo said it respects whatever decision the national government makes regarding the conduct of the elections.

“Our stance is clear: we are prepared whether or not the BSKE will continue,” PPSK President Esara Aldeguer Javier said.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to fulfill our duties to operate within the bounds of law and ensure that the foundations of our democracy remain secure,” she added.

Javier said that despite institutional limitations, the federation remains focused on serving the Filipino youth with integrity, urgency and purpose.

She emphasized the legal duty of youth leaders to remain transparent and accountable regardless of political developments.

The federation also encouraged youth leaders across Iloilo province to continue guiding, representing and serving young Ilonggos.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Jelma Crystel Implica said they are neither supporting nor opposing any possible postponement of the BSKE.

“We are not for and also not against. Whatever the national government decides, we will only follow and I know everyone is also ready,” she said.

Implica said all Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons and their councils are focused on fulfilling their responsibilities in the remaining months of their term.

The BSKE is scheduled for Nov. 2, 2026, as set by Republic Act No. 12232 and affirmed by the Supreme Court following the postponement of the December 2025 polls.

Several lawmakers have proposed redirecting PHP 16 billion in unused BSKE funds from the Commission on Elections’ PHP 19 billion budget to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.

Despite the push for postponement, Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia has repeatedly emphasized that the poll body will continue preparations for the Nov. 2, 2026, elections as scheduled.

Garcia said the agency will not suspend or slow down logistics, voter registration drives or technology testing while the law setting the election date remains in effect.

He also underscored constitutional limits on the use of election funds, noting that the PHP 16 billion cannot be directly reallocated for fuel crisis response because such funds are ring-fenced for electoral purposes.