The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has tentatively set the registration for the forthcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections next month.

“We will have a registration by July. We have tentatively set the registration for SK and Barangay elections from July 1 to 31,” Comelec Commission Rene Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that those 15 to 18 years old come October 25 are being encouraged to register.

Those who failed to register for the recent national and local elections aged 18 years old and above, he said, may also register.

Although the registration date is already beyond the 120-day requirement of Republic Act 8189 or the Voters’ Registration Act of 1996, he said, the plenary powers given to them allowed them to adjust the schedule, if necessary.

“Under the law the cut off date of registration is 120 days before elections which falls on June 25 but June 25 is too soon… You have to take into account registration forms and the machines to capture biometrics so there is no enough time,” Sarmiento said.

“But under the law we can adjust the schedule if necessary that’s why we have decided to adjust the schedule 100 days before not 120 days,” he added.

Section 8 of Republic Act 8189 states that the “filing of application of registration of voters shall be conducted daily in the office of the Election Officer during regular office hours but not beyond 120 days before a regular election.”

Up for grabs in the October 25 polls are some 43,000 posts for barangay and SK chairman as well as 293,965 for Sangguniang Barangay and SK council.