House to postpone barangay polls

The House of Representatives is likely to postpone the election of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials scheduled in October this year.

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. telephoned Chairman Benjamin Abalos of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over the weekend to inform him that a growing number of congressmen want the village and youth elections deferred or altogether scrapped.

De Venecia told Abalos he and his colleagues were worried about the negative impact the elections would have on inflation and this year’s budget deficit.

The administration is targeting a deficit of P63 billion, though many economic analysts are projecting a larger financing gap due to a huge shortfall in revenue collection in the first half of this year.

Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, however, has expressed confidence that collection would improve. He is sticking to the P63-billion target.

Sources told The STAR that Abalos was inclined to recommend the postponement or scrapping of the barangay and SK elections.

The Comelec chief was said to be in favor of just appointing replacements for incumbent village and youth officers. The replacements would be appointed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, or by city and town mayors.

Among House members who are seeking the deferment of the barangay and SK elections is Cebu’s Eduardo Gullas.

Gullas said the nation has just gone through a national election in May and holding another national balloting in three months “could put considerable upward pressure on interest rates and spoil the country’s financial and economic recovery.”