Comelec Allows Barangay, SK Officials, COS, and JO Workers to Join 2025 Campaign—but With Limits

by: Edjun Mariposque

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March 26, 2025

3–5 minutes

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ruled that elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials may participate in partisan political activities for the 2025 elections. However, strict guidelines remain in place to ensure compliance with election laws.

Comelec issued Minute Resolution 24-1001, clarifying that barangay and SK officials are exempt from the prohibition on partisan political involvement, a restriction that applies only to civil service officers and employees. The ruling follows a Supreme Court decision affirming that elected officials do not fall under this category.

“Nagkaroon ng decision sa Quintos vs Comelec…na sinasabi ng SC na ang barangay candidates pag nag-file ng candidacy ay hindi pwedeng gumamit ng CONA mula sa isang political party dahil ang BSKE ay apolitical. Pero once na nahalal na…sila ay politikal na at therefore, pwedeng sumuporta ng kandidato at pwedeng sumama sa kampanya,” said poll chief George Erwin Garcia.

Additionally, Comelec stated that non-civil service personnel, such as job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers, are not covered by the ban on political activities. This is because the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code do not explicitly extend such restrictions to them.

Despite these allowances, Comelec has stressed that officials and workers must abide by certain limitations. They are prohibited from soliciting contributions from subordinates or engaging in any coercive election-related activities. Moreover, campaigning during official working hours or utilizing government resources for political purposes remains strictly forbidden.

“Campaigning during paid working hours is an abuse of state resources, and we will not tolerate it,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia emphasized.

While Comelec’s decision grants barangay and SK officials more political freedom, some local government leaders have expressed reservations. Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, for instance, opposes allowing JO and COS workers to engage in campaign activities, arguing that they should remain apolitical.

With the 2025 elections approaching, Comelec continues to remind public officials and workers to exercise their political rights responsibly, ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process.

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