THE House of Representatives on Monday night approved on final reading the bill which seeks to set the term of office of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to six years from the present three years.
Lawmakers approved House Bill No. 11287, which Speaker Martin Romualdez filed to ensure the continuity of the projects of barangay and SK officials and protect them from politicking.
The bill provides for a transitory provision which allows all incumbent barangay and SK officials elected last October 30, 2023 to remain in office until the next elections in May 2029, unless they are legally removed or suspended.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to conduct the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on December 1 this year.
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, a co-author of the bill, said that once the proposed measure is signed into law, “this means that the BSK polls scheduled in December this year are reset to May 2029.”
Rodriguez pointed out that pushing through with the December polls would “put a heavy pressure on the national coffers.”
“We have just spent tens of billions for the May 12 vote for senators, members of the House of Representatives, and provincial, city and town officials. An additional of at least P8 billion is estimated to be expended for the BSK balloting,” he said.
Under the House bill, barangay and SK officials are prohibited from serving more than two consecutive terms in office.
Romualdez has said the current terms of office of barangay officials is confusing because there were laws passed extending it, which prompted a Supreme Court ruling prohibiting another extension “that’s why we need to fix and set the terms of our barangay officials.”
The Senate has already approved on final reading its version of the bill, which seeks to grant barangay and SK officials a fixed term of four years.
The differing version of the measure will be reconciled by lawmakers when the bicameral panel deliberates.
Elections chairman George Garcia said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will continue its preparations for the December 1 BSKE despite the possibility of it being moved to a later date.
Garcia said they will “not stop preparing for the BSKE until its postponement is guaranteed.”
“We don’t allow these developments in Congress to affect our ongoing preparations for the BSKE. The Comelec has no choice but to prepare for the BSKE,” he said.
The poll chief said it would be riskier if the Comelec will delay its preparations as it awaits the decision of Congress.
“That would be riskier and could cause more damage in our preparations if we hold back,” said Garcia.
For now, he said they have started their preparations for the BSKE, particularly with the procurement of the necessary election paraphernalia, such as the indelible ink and the ballot boxes. – With Gerard Naval
