MANILA, Philippines – Three Senate committees have approved the postponement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to May 2023, which means current leaders could hold office for 5 years, instead of just two. 

Senate Bill (SB) No. 1043 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9164 to move the barangay and SK elections to May 2023 from May 2020, and schedule subsequent elections a year after the national and local elections.

Under SB 1043, officials would remain in a holdover capacity.

SB 1043 is a substitute bill, consolidating SB 201, SB 222, SB 671, SB 869, and SB 875.

The postponement bill was filed on September 11, after the September 10 joint hearing by the Senate committees on electoral reforms, local government, and finance.

Senate Bill 1043 seeks to postpone the May 2020 barangay and SK elections to May 2023 instead. The postponement bill hurdled the Senate committee on electoral reforms, local govt, and finance @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/58TyNBZfAM

— Aika Rey (@reyaika) September 16, 2019

If the bill hurdles Congress and gets the President’s signature, it would be the second time that the barangay and SK elections would be postponed under the Duterte administration.

The last elections were held in May 2018, after being postponed twice since October 2016. (READ: TIMELINE: Efforts to postpone barangay, SK elections)

The Comelec earlier said it “slowed down” its preparations for the May 2020 barangay and SK elections following the President’s call for Congress to postpone the polls to 2022. – Rappler.com