Ahead of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is on the lookout for three-termer barangay officials who are prohibited by law to run for the same post.
DILG OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Año has ordered DILG Regional Offices to submit the names of incumbent Punong Barangays and Sangguniang Barangay members serving their third consecutive terms in office in the same position.
He says the consolidated list of barangay officials on their third consecutive term in the same position will be submitted to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) this March for posting in conspicuous places before the scheduled filing of Certificates of Candidacy on April 14 to 20.
“Mahigpit na binabantayan ng DILG kung sino-sino ang mga tatakbo sa posisyong tatlong magkakasunod na termino na nilang hawak,” warns Año.
The DILG chief says that this preventive action of the Department is in compliance to Section 43 (b) of Republic Act No. 7160 known as the Local Government Code that states “no local elective official shall serve for more than three consecutive terms in the same position. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which the elective official concerned was elected.”
To date, four regions have already submitted their list to the DILG National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO).
In Region I (Ilocos Region), there are 745 third-termer Punong Barangays and 4,483 third-termer Sangguniang Barangay members. In Region 4-B (MIMAROPA), 319 Punong Barangays are in their third-term, while 1,792 are third-termer Sangguniang Barangay members.
In Region 7 (Central Visayas), there are 638 third-termer Punong Barangays and 4,059 third-termer Sangguniang Barangay members. Meanwhile, in Region 13 (CARAGA), 290 Punong barangays are in their third-term, while 1,626 are third-termer Sangguniang Barangay members.
“Ang tunay na gustong mag-alay ng serbisyo publiko ay sumusunod sa mga alituntunin. Maging matapat po sana ang lahat ng tatakbong Barangay at SK candidates. Nakabantay po ang buong puwersa ng DILG upang masigurong hindi na puwedeng kumandidato ang mga lumampas na sa bilang ng terminong itinakda ng batas,” he said.
Matino, mahusay at maaasahan
Meanwhile, DILG Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya encourages the public to scrutinize their would-be Barangay and SK candidates in their community whether they are matino, mahusay, at maaasahan.
“Ang matino ay hindi corrupt at lumalaban sa katiwalian; lumaban at lumalaban sa iligal na droga; tapat sa serbisyo at bukas sa publiko; magaling at may disiplina; at walang kaugnayan sa masasamang tao o grupo,” he says.
“Ang mahusay namang kandidato ay may platapormang pangkaunlaran at pangkapayapaan; huwaran at modelo ng kanyang mga kabarangay; sumusunod sa mga alituntunin ng pamahalaan at ng komunidad; maayos makitungo sa mga kabarangay; at may patas na pagtingin sa iba’t ibang problema sa barangay,” he points out.
He adds, “As for candidates who are reliable or maaasahan, they exhibit the traits of being maalam at may kakayahan sa pagpaplan; alistong tumutulong sa panahon ng sakuna; nagmamalasakit sa kapwa; madaling malapitan sa oras ng pangangailangan; at subok sa pagtulong sa pagpapanatili ng kapayapaan at kaayusan.”
Malaya says these are the suggested traits of Barangay and SK elective officials worth voting for in the May 14 election.
He said that the government needs a new breed of barangay officials who will bring the administration’s agenda of change down to the barangay level.
