CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Elections will continue the preparations for the May 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement during his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) to postpone it at a later date.
“Mo padayon gihapon ang COMELEC kay despite the pronouncement of the President kay wala man guy kasigurohan kung i-postpone pa nila or dili. Kay it is an act of Congress,” said Provincial Election Officer Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde.
In fact, Gujilde said they are ready to resume the registration of voters starting on August 1.
He, however, admitted that the President’s pronouncement has persuasive effects on Congress considering that majority of its members are his political allies.
“If the President requests them, duna gyud na siyay persuasive effect,” Gujilde said.
In his SONA last Monday, Duterte expressed his desire to move the barangay and SK elections to October 2022. Duterte explained that this is to “rectify the truncated terms...and also provide them with ample time to finish their programs and projects.”
In October 2016, Duterte also postponed the barangay and SK elections to October 2017 saying that a significant number of barangay officials are involved in illegal drugs.
“The president is someone who is very familiar with how things are at the barangay level since he served as a local chief executive for quite sometime. At present a two year term is definitely too short and is not enough time for the barangay officials to provide any significant programs and projects. The move to extend is reasonable,” said Association of Barangay Captains President and Board Member Celestino Martinez III.
Similar bills have been pushed by Reps. Faustino Dy and Johnny Pimentel seeking to move the elections to May 2023 and October 2021, respectively.— FPL (FREEMAN)