Comelec: All barangay, SK poll winners proclaimed

MANILA, Philippines — Three days after the elections, all the newly elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials have been proclaimed.

“As of 9:02 a.m., we are at 100 percent proclamation for the barangay and SK elections,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez announced yesterday.

Data from the Comelec showed that there were 1,178,300 individuals who filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for last Monday’s polls. Of the total number, 89,889 filers were seeking to become barangay chairman while 654,608 were running for kagawad or councilor.

Some 85,916 filed their COCs for SK chairman and 347,887 for SK kagawad.

Jimenez attributed the early proclamation of winners to public vigilance in safeguarding the electoral process and the excellent coordination between the poll body and its partners.

According to Jimenez, all Comelec officials nationwide competently executed all the aspects of the commission’s plan for the May 14 barangay and SK elections.

But poll officials said the commission will suspend the proclamation of those who were overaged and who violated other election rules.

There were reports that some candidates in the SK elections were overaged.

He said the Comelec will check if any of those overage candidates have won so the Comelec can suspend the proclamation.

The Comelec is yet to determine the actual turnout of voters in last Monday’s electoral exercise.

All elected SK officials should undergo the mandatory one-day training before assuming their posts, according to the National Youth Commission (NYC).

The NYC reminded those who won to get in touch with their respective local youth development or local government operations officers to check the schedule for the SK mandatory training.

The youth body said a specified training period is set from May 17 to 26 to accommodate over 300,000 SK officials set to assume office on June 30.

NYC officer-in-charge Ronald Cardema said the one-day training will have modules covering topics such as governance and decentralization; SK history and salient features of the SK reform law; meetings and resolutions; planning and budgeting; code of conduct and ethical standards.

Cardema said only elected SK chairpersons who have completed the mandatory training could participate in the upcoming elections of local SK federations. – With Janvic Mateo