March 28, 2024

City Councilor Arthur Allad-iw has filed a resolution requesting Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Congress to push through with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Dec. 5.

In the proposed resolution, Allad-iw highlighted the observation of various sectors that postponing the synchronized elections will deprive the citizens of their right to affirm and vote for barangay leaders who provided good and dependable leadership and ensured the timely flow of services, especially during the trying times of the pandemic.

Such move also denies the people of their right and critical need to replace leaders who did not fully exercise their mandate.

He said postponement of the barangay and SK elections would also lead to the disenfranchisement of many youth voters, depriving them of the opportunity to choose and vote new leaders from within their ranks.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic has also highlighted the role of the barangay and therefore the elections would be an opportunity for people to reward high-performing barangay officials who provided them good and dependable leadership and ensured the timely flow of necessary services during the pandemic.

If a bill is passed, this would be the se-cond time the barangay and SK elections will be postponed.

The House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms has recently approved a motion postponing the barangay and SK elections.

Allad-iw quoted Commission on Elections Chair George Garcia as saying if the polls do not push through by year-end, the poll body would have to resume the continuing voter registration by October, resulting in the need for a bigger budget and more voting materials, contrary to the claims of lawmakers who said that the postponement of the 2022 barangay and SK elections would save money for the government.

The Comelec said it will need more than P18 billion, from the P8.5B allotted for the barangay and SK elections for 2022, if Congress approves the postponement of this year’s elections to next year. – Hanna C. Lacsamana