AFTER seeing its repeated deferment over the past years, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) yesterday called on the government to stop postponing the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
In a radio interview, PPCRV national coordinator Dr. Arwin Serrano said they are hoping that government will no longer adjust the BSKE schedules and just allow them to be held as stated by Republic Act No. 11935.
“We, at PPCRV, does not agree with the frequent changes in the election date. We do not agree, especially with the barangay (and SK) elections being very important,” said Serrano.
“What we want is for the scheduled last Monday of October 2023 and every three years afterwards to just be left unchanged,” he added.
Serrano’s statement comes as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) continued with the preparations for the barangay and youth polls.
The October 2023 BSKE was set under RA 11935 that was signed into law last October 2022.
Since 2016, there have been four postponements of the barangay and youth polls, with the October 2016 BSKE moved to October 2017 by RA 10923.
Subsequently, RA 10952 allowed the October 2017 BSKE to be deferred to May 2018.
Similarly, the scheduled May 2020 BSKE was postponed to December 2022 via RA 11462, which was again moved to this year under RA 11935.
