Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Año welcomes the pronouncement of Malacañang that the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections will push through as scheduled on May 14, 2018.
“Malacanang’s pronouncement that the polls will proceed as scheduled should put to rest speculations that it will be postponed again. The DILG and the PNP are now in the thick of preparations to ensure that the polls will be as peaceful and orderly as possible,” says Año.
With Malacanang’s statement, the DILG chief says the public should now be wary of individuals or groups that are seeking nominations or applications for those who would want to be appointed OIC-barangay captains because supposedly there will be appointments arising from a postponement.
“Nagsalita na po ang Malacanang na tuloy ang eleksyon. Kaya paalala po ulit na huwag tayong magpapaloko sa mga grupong umiikot at ginagamit ang pangalan ni Presidente at ng DILG para mangalap ng mga nomination o application para maging OIC-barangay captain,” he admonishes.
In a press briefing last Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. dismissed Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s allegations that administration lawmakers are out to postpone the elections to railroad Charter change.
Roque said he finds Drilon’s claims “strange” and “speculative” considering that Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel himself assured an audience of 4,000 village officials of Leyte last Friday that the polls will go on as scheduled.
DILG Spokesman Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said that both the DILG and COMELEC are fully prepared for the forthcoming Barangay and SK elections.
“While there are 2 bills filed in the House calling for postponement, these bills have not yet been approved even on the Committee level. In the Senate, no senator has filed a counterpart measure. With barely 12 session days before Congress goes into recess, there is practically no time to pass a law postponing the Barangay and SK polls for a third time,” said Malaya.
Malaya said that with Malacanang and the leaders of both houses of Congress seeing no reason to postpone the Barangay polls, the public can now be assured that the elections are a go.
Matino, mahusay at maaasahan
The DILG spokesman said the Department is now promoting a campaign for “Matino, Mahusay, at Maaasahang” Barangay and SK Officials to encourage the public to vote for good leaders in the May polls.
He said that the DILG has come up with a guide which is a checklist of traits that they should look for in choosing their would-be barangay and SK candidates whether they are matino, mahusay, at maaasahan.
A Barangay and SK official who is “Matino” exhibits the following traits: hindi “corrupt” at lumalaban sa katiwalian; lumaban at lumalaban sa iligal na droga; tapat sa serbisyo at bukas sa publiko; magaling at may disiplina; and walang kaugnayan sa masasamang tao or grupo.
For a ‘Mahusay’ candidate – 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; and may patas na pagtingin sa iba’t ibang problema sa barangay.
While for a ‘Maaasahan’ candidate DILG identifies the following: maalam at may kakayahan sa pagpaplano; alistong tumutulong sa panahon ng sakuna; nagmamalasakit sa kapwa; madaling malapitan sa oras ng pangangailangan; and subok sa pagtulong sa pagpapanatili ng kapayapaan at kaayusan.
Malaya said that with more than half of the barangays nationwide affected by the drug menace, the forthcoming polls give the people a chance to institute change in their respective communities.
