ABC in Talisay slams Comelec’s suggestion

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay Association of Barangay Council (ABC) is opposed to the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) suggestion that barangays share part of their resources to ensure the success of the Sangguniang Kabataan and barangay elections next month.

In an interview with The Freeman, ABC president Charles Basillote said the 22 barangays are one in saying that they do not have enough funds to cover the expenses of Sangguniang Kabataan and barangay elections. 

The commission by virtue of a resolution is requiring every barangay to set aside not less than P10,000 but not more than 10 percent of the available general fund for the election.

During their ABC board meeting last week, Basillote said the village officials expressed disagreement with regards the proposed sharing scheme by the Comelec.

Basillote said the barangays have no appropriations for the resolution of the Commission.

“Ang mahitabo niini pwede man mi mogahin pero sa sunod nang administration,” Basillote said.

The ABC approved a resolution asking Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to appropriate funds for the sharing scheme.

The commission cited Section 50 of the Omnibus Election Code, which stated that local government units are required to appropriate funds to defray election expenses.

Under the law, the LGUs shall appropriate funds to defray necessary and reasonable expenses of the members of the board of election tellers, board of canvassers, and the printing of election forms and procurement of other election paraphernalia and the installation of polling booths.

The funding will be sourced from the 10 per centum of the general fund of barangays which has been reserved and set aside for the SK.

The Comelec said it is forced to collect the fund because of the insufficiency of the fund allotted to it by Congress.

The collection of the fund was based by the poll body on the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, the Local Government Code, and Republic Acts  6653, 6679, 8524, 9164 and 9340.

The poll body explained that the 42,000 barangays nationwide can collect around P420 million.

The amount shall be used to defray the expenses of the Board of Election Tellers (BETs) for the transportation allowance in the amount of P500 for each member of the BET; additional honoraria of the members of the BET; and trainings and meetings.

The amount which was mentioned by the resolution will be released by the respective LGUs to the election officers thus the poll body asked all field officials of the Commission to extend cooperation and assistance in the disbursement of the said amounts.

If an LGU has no fund they can ask for a supplemental budget from the Department of Budget and Management.

The use of the collected shares shall at all times be open for inspection of the Commission on Audit or its duly authorized representative.  (FREEMAN)