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House approves postponement of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Polls to 2008
Gov’t expects a P3-Billion deficit reduction
16 March 2005 01:40:22 PM
Writer: Noel Albano/Diony Tubianosa, PRID

The House of Representatives last night overwhelmingly approved on second reading the postponement of the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections to 2008, effectively sparing the country from another divisive and resource-depleting electoral process and help reduce further the 2005 budget deficit by P3-billion, Speaker Jose de Venecia announced.

“We need to have a calming effect on the nation as we squarely face financial difficulties. The national government cannot afford to be diverted in its focus on solving the more serious budgetary deficit problem,” de Venecia said.

The holding of the synchronized barangay and sangguniang kabataan polls in 2008, under House Bill 3742, would allow the government to save and use around P3-billion this year in productive poverty-alleviation projects. It will also allow local government units to divert the meager resources intended for the youth polls to basic services, de Venecia stressed.

LGUs use their barangay development fund to finance the sangguniang kabataan elections which, as proposed and approved by the House, will be held synchronized with the barangay polls on the last Monday of May 2008 and every three years thereafter.

The term of office of barangay and sangguniang kabataan officials who will be elected in May 2008 shall commence at noon of June 30 next following their elections.

All incumbent barangay and sangguniang kabataan officials shall remain in office until sooner removed for cause until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

If the postponement, under House Bill 3742, is not enacted into law, the synchronized polls are mandated by law to be held on the last Monday of October 2005, and there’s a possibility that the orderly conduct as well as the integrity of the results of elections could not be assured due to time constraint and funding problems.

HB 3742 is a substitute measure (to 23 separate but similar bills filed in the House) reported out and jointly sponsored in plenary by the Committees on Local Government and Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chaired by Reps. Emilio Macias MD and Teodoro Locsin, Jr., respectively.

Aside from de Venecia, Macias and Locsin, principal authors of the bill are Deputy Speakers Raul del Mar, Gerry Salapuddin and Emilio Espinosa who presided over the Tuesday plenary and effectively steered by Majority leader Prospero Nograles and deputy majority leaders Del de Guzman of Marikina and Hussin Amin of Sulu.

“The postponement of the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections this year will greatly improve the chances of restoring peace in my district and the entire province of Sulu. Allowing another divisive electoral process at the barangay level could only dilute and worsen the peace and order situation in war-torn Sulu,” deputy majority leader Amin pointed out.

Other principal authors include Rep. Abraham Mitra, Eric Singson, Rolex suplico, Imee Marcos, Isidoro Real, Jr., Eladio Jala, Danilo Suarez, Arthur Pinggoy, Jr., Monico Puentevella, Rodolfo Agbayani, Benjamin Agarao, Jr., Exequiel Javier, Eduardo Gullas, Judy Syjuco, Joseph Santiago, Ernesto Nieva, Romualdo Vicencio, Amado Espino, Jr., Edgar Chatto, Raul Gonzales, Jr. and Anthony Miranda.

De Venecia, likewise, expressed his gratitude to the leaders and members of the majority coalition – Lakas-CMD, Nationalist People’s Coalition, the Liberal Party, Nacionalista Party, Kampi, PDP, LDP and Party Lists – and the minority bloc led by Minority leader Francis Escudero, for the early passage of the measure.