Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Election Postponement
With the issue regarding Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election, the Commission on Election (COMELEC) is asking the congress for the postponement the two local elections since the country had just conducted the national polls this year.
Juan Andres Bautista, COMELEC Chairman, said in a medium forum recently that the commission will just suggest, maybe, that they will postpone the said polls.
Comelec Chairman Bautista believed that the election should be moved to a later date to avoid “election fatigue” in the country.
“We have this so-called election fatigue. We don’t want to have too many elections in the country,” Bautista said.
He highlighted that holding an election on over 42,000 barangays in the country is very expensive.
“Aside from fatigue, holding elections is expensive, mainly because we have to pay more teachers that will serve as Board of Election Tellers (BETs),” he added.
To be able to conduct the 2013 barangay election, the sector needs P3.4 billion.
The constitution states that the election for barangay officials shall be held on the last Monday of October and every three years after, according to Republic Act No. 9164.
While the 2013 SK polls have been moved to the last Monday of October 2016, according to Republic Act No. 10656.
In an article published by Philippine Canadian Inquirer, the House of Representatives seeks to reset the coming election slated for October 2016 to October 2018.
“Considering that there will soon be nationwide elections this coming May 2016, it would be prudent and advisable to reset the next barangay elections this October 2016 to October 2018,” Pasay City Rep. Emi G. Calixto-Rubiano said.
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