ABC provincial polls set on July 30

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a memorandum mandating a synchronized election for provincial officers of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC).

The DILG circular says the election shall take place on July 30.

ABC is also referred to as Liga ng mga Barangay (LNB). The association president will sit as ex-officio member of the Provincial Board.

The outgoing ABC president will appoint members of various election committees, including a committee on nomination, registration, and canvassing, among others. Each committee will have up to four members.

The committee members who will come from the federation membership cannot run for any position.

Unlike the Sangguniang Kabataan elections, candidates in the ABC are required to file a Certificate of Candidacy. They can file the form from July 24 to 26.

The forms will be made available to prospective candidates by either the nomination committee or the incumbent provincial ABC secretary.

On the day of the election, a representative from DILG will head the Board of Supervisors. The board will also be composed of representatives from the Commission on Elections, Department of Education, the church, a people’s organization, and non-government organization.

Before the provincial level elections, however, barangay captains in every local government unit must elect a president on July 16, the DILG said.

In Cebu Province, two names have surfaced as possible candidates for provincial ABC president – ABC President Celestino Martinez III, should he be reelected as ABC president in Bogo City and former Samboan mayor Raymond Joseph Calderon.

Martinez won as captain of Barangay Cayang in Bogo while Calderon won as captain of Barangay Poblacion in Samboan.

Martinez said barangays are non-partisan units so anyone who plans to run can neither be endorsed or supported by a party prior and during the polls. However, he clarified that this cannot stop a barangay captain to join any activity of a political party.

“We are not allowed to carry any party. Actually, wala gyud mi partido,” he said.

Calderon, for his part, said he is yet to make a final decision whether or not to run for federation president. He admitted that he is being convinced to run for the post. —/JMO (FREEMAN)