Cebu City BCLP prexy elected national head

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Councilors’ League of the Philippines – Cebu City Chapter President Franklyn Ong was elected BCLP national president.

Ong will fill the position vacated by Barangay Moonwalk, Parañaque City councilman Julio Jaime. His term will be until 2016 if the bill that seeks to postpone the barangay election to 2016 will be passed into law.

Ong was elected by eight board members of the BCLP National Executive Council last Wednesday at the Quest Hotel in Cebu City.  Marlon Austria, National–Secretary General , said that Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were well represented during the voting.

Austria said Ong was elected for his accomplishments as BCLP President of Cebu City for the past two years.

“As you have heard, they have P6 million budget a year, that says something. Magaling siyang mag-raise ng funds para sa grupo,” Austria said.

The P6 million budget raised by BCLP Cebu City was among the accomplishments reported by Ong during the General Assembly of BCLP at the Grand Convention Center yesterday.

Of the amount, the P3 million was granted as aid by the Cebu City Government while the P3 million came from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Rep. Tomas Osmeña.

Feeding in over 30 barangays and seminars for disaster preparedness of barangay councilmen were also among his accomplishments.

Yesterday, 73 barangays were given P20,000 each for sports development. Austria said they were right in choosing Ong as the National President. It is the first time that a Cebuano councilman was elected as the National President and Ong is the only first termer among the members of the National Executive Council.

Ong is the replacement of Jaime, who was accused of running a scam. Sometime last month, there was a report about a complaint against Jaime by investors he allegedly duped.

Austria said Ong’s term will end in 2016 if the bill that seeks to postpone the barangay election to 2016 will be passed.

He said the bill, sponsored by Senator Bong Revilla is already in the bicameral stage.

“It means 70 percent close na tayo. Ninety percent na ang umaayon sa bill, ang pinagtatalunan na lang ay kung kailan, sa 2015 ba o sa 2016,” Austria said.

He said they are confident that postponement of the barangay election will be passed soon.  (FREEMAN)