Talisay City ABC asks mayor to subsidize election expenses

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City Association of Barangay Council (ABC) is requesting Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to subsidize the expenditures of the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. 

ABC president Charles Basillote said the 22 barangay captains are unanimous in their concern that they are not financially ready to shoulder the October election expenses in line with the recent resolution approved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The Comelec En Banc signed resolution 9739, requiring all Local Government Units to augment the appropriations of the Comelec for the upcoming national barangay and SK officials by setting aside an amount to aid the expenses.

According to Talisay City Comelec officer Gallardo Escobar, the barangay captains need to shoulder the total amount of P1,248,100, as their counterpart.

Basillote, who is the chairman of the city council committee on barangay affairs, said that it would be very hard for the barangay to comply with the Comelec resolution. 

“Even if the barangays can muster to allocate any amount, it would still not be sufficient and comply with the amount set by the Comelec,” Basillote said. 

Basillote said he will be filing a resolution, which he will present on Tuesday’s council session, asking the mayor to allocate funds as their counter-part. 

The resolution, that was promulgated last July 10, was approved following the Comelec’s pronouncement that the Philippine congress’ allocation for the barangay and SK elections of only P1,175,098,000 is not enough.

With this, the resolution states that all LGUs will need to set aside funds no less than P10,000 but not more than 10 percent of the general funds of barangays which have been reserved and set aside for the SK.  (FREEMAN)