Mandaue brgys hold simultaneous elections of senior citizen officials

CEBU, Philippines - Except for some minor glitches that were eventually addressed, the holding of the synchronized barangay elections for the senior citizens in Mandaue City was successful, according to Association of Barangay Councils President Ernie Manatad.

Manatad, a member of the ad hoc committee that handles the affair, said 28 senior citizen chapters held the synchronized elections last Sunday. He said except for the glitches in two barangays, they were able to successfully proclaim the winners on that day.

In Barangay Alang-Alang, one councilman, who sat as one of the election officers, questioned the proceedings and declared a failure of election but this was “patched up” right away after the majority of the election officers decided otherwise.

Manatad said a similar incident also happened in Barangay Cambaro, but it, too, was ironed out.

Next month, the chapter presidents will elect among themselves the officers for their federation.

Meanwhile, Manatad defended that the holding of last Sunday’s elections was consonant with the provision of the National Board Memorandum Circular No. 01-2013 which prescribes the guidelines of the synchronization of the elections of Federation of Senior Citizen Association of Philippines (FSCAP) and the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).

FSCAP has scheduled the synchronized elections before January 30 this year for the barangay chapters, and the election of federation presidents not later than February 28.

Manatad said the chapter presidents themselves had chosen January 24 as the date of elections. The officials would have wanted to move the schedule to a later date because they were not prepared yet, but since it was already decided upon, they just reportedly hastened all preparations.

Manatad also debunked the “manifesto” of nine chapter presidents who were against the scheduled election, saying they did not constitute the majority of the 28 chapters.

In a session at the City Council earlier this month, Councilor Beethoven Andaya presented to the council the manifesto after he personally questioned the council’s purported meddling in the conduct of the elections.

He said the council should not interfere with the affairs of the senior citizens, being a non-government organization and as a way of  “respecting their rights.”

Andaya was supported by Councilor Emmarie Ouano-Dizon.

It was Councilor Diosdado Suico who presented his proposed resolution adhering to the FSCAP memo.

In the end, the council approved Suico’s resolution.

Andaya is a vice mayoral candidate of One Cebu party in Mandaue, with Dizon as his running mate. Manatad, meanwhile, is with the Liberal Party which dominates the council.

There are at least 18,000 senior citizens in Mandaue, and according to Manatad, they are all active voters.   (FREEMAN)