BILL RESETTING BARANGAY POLLS NEARS PASSAGE
A bill seeking to postpone barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections hurdled the second reading at the Senate on Wednesday.
Senate Bill No. 1306 seeks to postpone the barangay and SK elections, slated on Dec. 5, 2022, to December 2023.
The measure was sponsored by Sen. Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation.
During the plenary session, Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged to postpone the barangay and SK elections to an earlier date or in May 2023.
She cited that holding the polls in May 2023 is within the seven-month preparatory time needed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and will require less funding, among other reasons.
The Comelec has an P8.5-billion budget for the Dec. 5, 2022, polls.
Should the elections be deferred to May 2023, at least P17 billion would be needed, while P18 billion if in December 2023, the poll body said earlier.
The additional cost would cover additional polling precincts, supplies and higher honoraria for teachers who will serve as electoral board members.
However, Marcos did not heed Hontiveros’ proposal: “At this juncture, the committee is unable to accept your amendment, and we stay with the date of December 2023,” Marcos responded.
The Senate minority bloc, composed of Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Hontiveros, expressed their opposition to the postponement.
House version
The day before, the House of Representatives passed its own version of the bill on third and final reading.
During Tuesday’s session, 264 lawmakers voted in favor of House Bill No. 4673 with six congressmen voting against the measure and three abstaining.
Under the proposal— which is a consolidated version of more than 30 bills—the polls will be rescheduled to December 2023 in line with the Comelec’s request to refrain from rescheduling the barangay elections to 2024 as the poll body would already be in the thick of preparations for the 2025 midterm elections.
Among those who voted against the bill were lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc, who believe that delaying the barangay elections only subverts the people’s right to suffrage. Previously, the Makabayan bloc also said the suspension of the said polls would only result in the stagnation of projects.