Comelec temporarily suspends plebiscites, special SK polls for 2025 elections

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections has temporarily suspended the holding of plebiscites and the special Sangguniang Kabataan polls until December 2025 to give way to next year's three elections.

The Comelec en banc decided to reschedule these to focus on preparations for three elections in 2025: the midterm polls, the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in May and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. 

The poll body has described 2025 as a "super election year," according to state-run news agency Philippine News Agency.

The resolution temporarily suspends all plebiscites and the special Sangguniang Kabataan elections until Dec. 1, 2025.

The Comelec released guidelines for the conduct of the special Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in July to fill hundreds of vacancies nationwide.

There are at least 139 and 553 vacancies for Sangguniang Kabataan chairmen and members, respectively, as no candidate ran for those seats during the May 2023 elections. — Cristina Chi