ABC: Don't expect postponement of barangay, SK polls

CEBU, Philippines - The Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections are most likely to push through in October next year.

Cebu Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Michael Ralota said yesterday they have already informed the National Executive Board of the Liga ng mga Barangay not to expect a postponement, considering that the House of Representatives has touched not even one bill filed by several congressmen seeking to defer the polls.

Ralota said that if the House will not be able to tackle the bills by June this year, barangay and SK officials better take it as a sign that the postponement will not happen.

During the 2nd general assembly and National Executive Board meeting of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Manila the other day, Ralota said he and the other Liga presidents brought with them a manifesto calling for the postponement of the barangay election next year but were told by House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III that chances of the same are very slim.

The Liga ng mga Barangay is the national association of the country’s 42,000 barangays.

“We are told to get ready. So mag-andam nalang gyud ta nga aduna gyud election mahitabo sunod tuig kay wala gyud klaro nga ma-postponed,” Ralota told The FREEMAN.

“By June if they cannot take up wala nay higayon nga ma-take up ang mga bills for postponement mao na’y giingon ni Congressman Tañada,” he added.

Among the bills filed in Congress is the proposal of Cebu City North District Rep. Rachel del Mar to move the elections to October 2014.

Del Mar sought for the amendment of Section 1 of Republic Act 9164, which fixed the election date on the last Monday of October 2013. Under the proposed HB 5750, del Mar wants it deferred for one year saying it is not practical to hold two elections in a year.

Several House members want the village polls moved because another election, mere months after the May presidential and national elections, would strain government coffers as well as theirs. — (FREEMAN)