FACT CHECK: Comelec did not set barangay, SK polls for December 14

The Comelec flags a circulating graphic as fake. Under Republic Act No. 12326, the next barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are scheduled for November 13, 2028.

AT A GLANCE

• The Commission on Elections did not announce that the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections will be held on December 14, 2026, as claimed in a viral Facebook post.
• The Comelec has warned the public about the fake graphic circulating online and urged reliance on official communications for accurate information.

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Claim: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that the next barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) would be held on December 14, 2026.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook post in the group “Duterte Legacy” that was published on October 8 carried the claim with a caption that reads, “Confirmed!”

The attached graphic mimics a Comelec announcement, displaying the poll body’s seal and the heading “Official Announcement.” It states: “This is to confirm the scheduled date for the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). Despite any varying information, the scheduled date on record is December 14, 2026.” 

Its text further states: “PAALALA: Ang opisyal na petsa ay maaaring magbago ayon sa batas. Manatiling nakatutok para sa anumang opisyal na bagong anunsyo mula sa COMELEC.” 

(Reminder: The official date may change according to law. Stay tuned for any official new announcement from the Comelec.)

As of writing, the post had drawn 763 reactions, 136 comments, and 140 shares.

The facts: The Comelec did not announce a December 14 BSKE. On October 10, it warned the public that the circulating graphic was fake and urged the public to rely on the poll body’s official website and social media accounts for election-related announcements.

The graphic cites no law or Comelec resolution establishing December 14 as the election date. It provides no resolution number and merely directs readers to the Comelec website. The use of the poll body’s seal and official-looking design does not establish its authenticity.

Under Republic Act (RA) No. 12326, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on September 24, the next BSKE is scheduled for November 13, 2028. The law postponed the elections from the previous schedule of November 2, 2026.

Petitions before the Supreme Court seek to block the new law and compel the Comelec to hold the elections in 2026. The poll body has said that RA 12326 remains in effect because the Court has not issued a temporary restraining order.

Date change: The BSKE was initially scheduled for December 1, 2025. In August 2025, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed RA 12232, postponing the elections to November 2, 2026, and setting a four-year term for barangay and SK officials.

Senator Francis Escudero then filed Senate Bill No. 2387 in August 2026, seeking to extend the terms of barangay and SK officials from four to five years, amending RA 12232.

Escudero’s proposed measure was subsequently enacted as RA 12326. The law provides for elections every five years, on the second Monday of November, beginning in 2028. (READ: How often have barangay, SK elections been postponed?)

Fake dates: The shifting election schedules have fueled misinformation online. Rappler previously fact-checked a claim that the postponement had already become law before Marcos signed it, as well as another claiming that the elections would be held this coming November 28. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar, who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies from the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship for 2024. 

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