Barangay elections may be scrapped
By Candice Y. Cerezo, MANILA TIMES Researcher
A committee of the Consultative Commission has voted to do away with barangay elections and let barangay officials be appointed by mayors instead.
David C. Naval, who heads the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral or Political Party Reforms, said Thursday that abolishing barangay elections will end grassroots politicking.
Rather than being elected, the officials should instead be appointed by the local chief executive.
Naval said the committee decided it would be better for the community if officials are appointed by mayors in agreement with the council of the local government unit.
The proposal to scrap barangay polls was presented before the committee by Jesus Calisin, Albay vice governor, and Mel Senen Sarmiento, Calbayog City mayor.
Calisin said the budget for barangay elections, which eats up “billions of pesos,” should instead be allocated to the delivery of basic services.
Scrapping the barangay elections will avoid the gridlock that occurs when local executives and the barangay officials come from different political parties, Calisin said.
Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are held every three years and are separately conducted from local elections.
Naval said the SK polls should be abolished as well because they “do not give any service but only add to government expenditures.”
The proposal will be included in the committee’s report to be submitted before the plenary session after the commission finishes its consultations with the people.
The 53 members of the commission will begin consultations in Manila and Laguna Tuesday next week.
Divided into five groups, they will be hold dialogues in Metro Manila’s 13 cities and 4 municipalities starting November 22, the commission’s secretary-general, Lito Monico Lorenzana, said.
On November 22 the first group of the commission will be at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.
On November 23 the second group will have two separate consultations: in Manila at the Bulwagang Villegas Hall of the Manila City Hall and in the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig and the municipality of San Juan, at the Youth Training Center, Rain Forest Park, Legazpi Street, Barangay Maybunga in Pasig City.
On November 24 the third group will hold consultations in Quezon City and Marikina City at the Philippine Social Science Center in Diliman.
On November 25 the fourth group will handle consultations in Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Pasay and Parañaque at the Pearl Plaza, Quirino Avenue in Parañaque.
On November 26 the fifth group will hold dialogues for the Camanava area—Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela—at the Caloocan City Hall’s Bulwagang Katipunan.
The final round of consultations in the Luzon and Bicol region will begin on November 28
A committee of the Consultative Commission has voted to do away with barangay elections and let barangay officials be appointed by mayors instead.
David C. Naval, who heads the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral or Political Party Reforms, said Thursday that abolishing barangay elections will end grassroots politicking.
Rather than being elected, the officials should instead be appointed by the local chief executive.
Naval said the committee decided it would be better for the community if officials are appointed by mayors in agreement with the council of the local government unit.
The proposal to scrap barangay polls was presented before the committee by Jesus Calisin, Albay vice governor, and Mel Senen Sarmiento, Calbayog City mayor.
Calisin said the budget for barangay elections, which eats up “billions of pesos,” should instead be allocated to the delivery of basic services.
Scrapping the barangay elections will avoid the gridlock that occurs when local executives and the barangay officials come from different political parties, Calisin said.
Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are held every three years and are separately conducted from local elections.
Naval said the SK polls should be abolished as well because they “do not give any service but only add to government expenditures.”
The proposal will be included in the committee’s report to be submitted before the plenary session after the commission finishes its consultations with the people.
The 53 members of the commission will begin consultations in Manila and Laguna Tuesday next week.
Divided into five groups, they will be hold dialogues in Metro Manila’s 13 cities and 4 municipalities starting November 22, the commission’s secretary-general, Lito Monico Lorenzana, said.
On November 22 the first group of the commission will be at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.
On November 23 the second group will have two separate consultations: in Manila at the Bulwagang Villegas Hall of the Manila City Hall and in the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig and the municipality of San Juan, at the Youth Training Center, Rain Forest Park, Legazpi Street, Barangay Maybunga in Pasig City.
On November 24 the third group will hold consultations in Quezon City and Marikina City at the Philippine Social Science Center in Diliman.
On November 25 the fourth group will handle consultations in Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Pasay and Parañaque at the Pearl Plaza, Quirino Avenue in Parañaque.
On November 26 the fifth group will hold dialogues for the Camanava area—Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela—at the Caloocan City Hall’s Bulwagang Katipunan.
The final round of consultations in the Luzon and Bicol region will begin on November 28
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