QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco is seeking the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections from May 2020 to October 2022.
Velasco, who is to take over the post of House Speaker from Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano in the next 13 months, said it is imperative to postpone the upcoming May 2020 Barangay and SK Elections anew, which would extend their term to a more plausible term of four years.
This bill would rectify the shortened term of barangay and SK officials,” Velasco said.
Velasco, in House Bill No. 1071, said extending the terms of barangay and SK officials will be more coherent with the provisions of law and will ultimately redound to the effective allocation of resources and services towards nation-building.
The Marinduque lawmaker noted that under the Local Government Code, the term of office of barangay officials and SK members should be for three (3) years. However, with the enactment of Republic Act No. 10952, the synchronized Barangay and SK elections were moved to the second Monday of May 2018.
“Unwittingly, the elected barangay and SK officials in 2018 are now constrained to serve for only a two-year term in stark contrast to the mandate of the Local Government Code and to the detriment of project and program implementation that would benefit the Filipino people,” Velasco added.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9164, as amended by Republic Act No. 9340, Republic Act No. 10632, Republic Act 10656, Republic Act No. 10923 and Republic Act No.10952. – Marinduquenews.com