The Commission on Elections confirmed on July 18 that the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will push through as scheduled, on Monday, November 2, and will be conducted manually. Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco put it plainly: "The elections will remain manual." For Bislig City's 24 barangays, that confirmation ends months of uncertainty over whether the polls would be pushed back again, and sets in motion a calendar every voter, candidate, and barangay official in the city should now be tracking.

Why this election was in question at all

This will not be the barangay election originally planned. It was supposed to happen in December 2025, but Republic Act No. 12232, signed by President Marcos on August 13, 2025, postponed it. The stated reason was to let Comelec concentrate on the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections held in October, rather than run two major elections back to back. The law reset the barangay and SK elections to the first Monday of November 2026, with regular elections to follow every four years after that.

The calendar Bislig voters and candidates need

Based on Comelec's confirmed schedule, here are the key dates:

  • Voter registration: Ran nationwide (outside BARMM) from October 20, 2025 to May 18, 2026. That window has closed.
  • Certificate of Candidacy filing: September 28 to October 5, 2026
  • Campaign period: October 22 to October 31, 2026
  • Election period (includes the gun ban): October 3 to November 9, 2026
  • Election eve, no campaigning allowed: November 1, 2026
  • Election day: Monday, November 2, 2026, polls open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Laudiangco also flagged something specific to this type of election: unlike national campaigns, premature campaigning for barangay and SK seats is strictly prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code, and violators can face election offense charges. Anyone planning to run for barangay captain, kagawad, or SK chairman or councilor in any of Bislig's 24 barangays should hold off on campaign materials until October 22.

What's at stake locally

Every barangay captain, kagawad, and SK official across Bislig's 24 barangays, from Poblacion and Mangagoy to smaller barangays like Bucto, Kahayag, and Tumanan, will be up for election this November. Under RA 12232, barangay officials elected this year will serve four-year terms and are capped at three consecutive terms, while SK officials serve a single term. Winners take office on December 1, and current officials stay in their posts until their successors are proclaimed and qualified, so there is no gap in barangay leadership during the transition.

For residents, this election decides who runs the level of government closest to daily life in Bislig: barangay clearances, peace and order, local disaster response coordination, and the first point of contact for most city services. Registered voters who are unsure of their precinct or registration status should check with the local Comelec office at Bislig City Hall well before November.

What to watch next

Comelec still has to release its final implementing rules and precinct assignments in the coming weeks, and the city's own election officer will announce local logistics closer to the campaign period. Bislig Today will follow up as candidacy filings open at the end of September.