PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has declared October 30 as a special non-working day across the country to allow Filipino voters to cast their votes for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
The declaration is contained in Proclamation No. 359, which was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on October 9 and released by Malacañang yesterday.
“It is imperative that the people be given the full opportunity to participate in the said elections and exercise their right of suffrage,” the proclamation read.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the barangay and youth polls on October 30, as provided under Republic Act No. 11935 which postponed the December 2022 polls to the last Monday of October this year.
With October 30 a non-working day, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the poll body is looking at attaining a 75 percent voter turnout in the BSKE.
Garcia said they want to top the voter turnout recorded in the last BSKE held in 2018.
“We are aiming to surpass the 2018 voter turnout, which was about 70 percent,” said Garcia, adding: “We hope to reach at least 75 percent voter turnout for the coming BSKE.”
Comelec records show there are 67,839,700 registered voters for the barangay elections, while registered youth voters are at 23,254,129.
Garcia said the declaration of October 30 as a special non-working day will help them achieve the goal for voter turnout.
“We actually hoped that October 31 will also be included (in the proclamation). Whenever the non-working days are long, the people will go home to their provinces and make sure they’ll be able to cast their votes,” said Garcia.
“On Election Day, Filipinos make their voice known. And ensuring enfranchisement of the voters is a veritable way to honor this process,” he added.
LINGGO NG LUPONG TAGAPAMAYAPA
Meanwhile, the President also declared October 10 to 16 of every year as “Linggo ng Lupong Tagapamayapa” to increase public awareness of the roles of barangay officials in maintaining peace and order in the community.
The Lupong Tagapamayapa is the body in the barangay that exercises administrative supervision on matters relevant to the amicable settlement of barangay disputes and is usually composed of the punong barangay or barangay captain as the chairman and 10 to 20 members.
Proclamation No. 358, signed on October 9 by Bersamin on authority of the President, states that there is a need to “increase public awareness on the functions of the Lupong Tagapamayapa, and recognize the valuable contributions of the members thereof in the preservation and maintenance of peace and order in barangays.”
It directs the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to lead the promotion of the observance of the Linggo ng Lupong Tagapamayapa and identify events, projects, and activities that will mark the yearly celebration.
It also directs all other agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned or -controlled corporations, government financial institutions, and state universities and colleges, as well as enjoined all local government units, non-government organizations, and the private sector to actively participate and provide support and assistance to the DILG for the observance of the event. — With Gerard Naval
