The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will now require aspiring candidates to submit their birth certificates alongside their certificates of candidacy (COCs), starting with the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections and in all succeeding polls.
During an exclusive interview on DZRH's Dos Por Dos on Friday, COMELEC Chairman George Garcia confirmed that the new requirement will be implemented for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled on November 2, 2026, and will also apply to future national and local elections. Candidates filing their COCs will now be obligated to include their birth certificates as part of the documentation.
Garcia explained that, in the past, candidates were only required to declare their date of birth and Filipino citizenship in their COCs, which the commission accepted based on self-declaration.
“Wala po kasi tayo dating nare-require na ganyan. Although sa aming pag-aaral, ito naman ay hindi ipinagbabawal. Sapagkat pakatandaan ng lahat, isa sa mga hinihingi po pagtayo nagpa-file ng certificate of candidacy ay kung ano ang birthday natin. At at the same time ay kung tayo ba ay Filipino citizen o hindi,” Garcia said.
“Kung ano i-deklara nila ng mga kandidato, parang pinatanggap na lamang po natin na yun ay totoo…Later on ay mapapatunayan kung may nag-file ng kasong disqualification or cancellation ng kanilang candidacy,” he added.
He added that the commission had largely relied on the truthfulness of candidates’ declarations, with verification typically occurring only when disqualification or cancellation cases were filed.
This marks the first time COMELEC will enforce the submission of birth certificates, a move aimed at ensuring that all candidates are bona fide Filipino citizens.
Garcia emphasized that the policy does not introduce a new qualification, as the law has always prohibited foreign nationals from running for public office.
The measure also seeks to prevent misrepresentation and stop foreign nationals from slipping through the system. Garcia cited the case involving former Bamban mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, who was later discovered to be a Chinese national and linked to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). She was eventually found guilty of qualified trafficking related to the illicit operations.
“Iyon nga po yung nangyari doon sa Tarlac, dahil doon sa ating karanasan na yan, ipinangako natin sa mga kababayan natin na tayo ay gagawa ng paraan, pag-aaralan natin mabuti,” Garcia said.
The COMELEC Chair added, “At sa aming pagkatansya at pag-aaral, hindi naman ito additional requirement o kwalipikasyon sa pagtakbo. Sapagkat talaga may kwalipikasyon na hindi ka dapat foreigner pag ikaw ay tatakbo whether national or local position.“
According to Garcia, requiring birth certificates will serve as a safeguard against individuals who falsely claim Filipino citizenship, particularly those with foreign parentage.
“Magandang pagkakataon itong barangay ng SK election. I-require natin ang filing ng candidacy na may kasama sa birth certificate so that ito po'y bilang panghahanda na rin sa darating na national and local election na lagi't lagi meron nag-raise ng issue Hindi naman Filipino yan,” he said.
Garcia noted that the implementation during the BSKE would also allow legal scrutiny of the policy. Questions regarding its validity may be elevated to the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines, which could provide guidance for its continued enforcement in the 2028 national and local elections.
