Comelec”s Garcia on proposed 6-year term for barangay, SK execs: ‘Too long”

Commission on Elections Chairperson George Garcia on Saturday said the proposed six-year term for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials is “too long.”

In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, Garcia said a five-year term with reelection would be enough.

“Baka po masyadong mahaba ang six years, baka po pwede kahit na five years lamang,” he said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(Maybe six years is too long. Maybe we can shorten it to five years.)
 
“Ang pwe-pwede po, ito ay bilang isang personal na opinion lang, five years tapos subject to re-election hanggang two terms lang po,” he added.

(It is just a personal opinion. Make it five years and then subject to re-election for up to two terms only.)

In August, Senator Imee Marcos filed Senate Bill 1195 that aims to amend Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, arguing that there is a need to extend the term of barangay and SK officials to six years “to ensure continuity and stability” of their plans and programs.

“Kada eleksyon na lang, pinapaliban na ‘yang barangay at SK election. Napapaisip tuloy ako na talagang may problema sa termino ng ating mga barangay officials. Palagay ko, medyo maikli masyado ang three years sa totoo lang,” she said last week.

(Postponement after postponement of the barangay and SK polls made me realize that there must be a problem with the terms of the barangay officials. I think three years is a bit too short.) 

Under the current law, the term of barangay officials is only three years.

Meanwhile, Garcia said they adjusted the schedule for the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) due to the nature of politics at the barangay level.

“Alam ninyo po apolitical ang barangay election ibig sabihin walang parti-partido dito. Kaya minarapat po ng Comelec na i-adjust yung filing of COC kasi po naisip namin yung nature ng ating tradition sa ating bansa,” the Comelec chair said.

(There are no parties in this barangay election because it is nonpartisan. Due to the character of our tradition, the Comelec was prompted to adjust the filing of COC.)

“Kapag nafile ng maaga ng COC at pagkatapos po ay napostpone po ang ating election, yung magkakapitbahay na biglang nagkaalaman na nag file ng candidacy o yung magkakamag-anak na medyo magkakalaban [ay] hindi na po mag-uusap ng isang buong taon,” he said. 

(When the COC is filed early and the election is subsequently postponed, the neighbors who learned who filed their candidacy or the relatives who are hostile to one another won’t speak to one another for an entire year.)

“Adjust ng konti para kahit papaano mayroon tayong konting leeway at hindi magkakabukuhan kung sino ang tatakbo agad sa darating na [election]. Pero huwag po kayong mag-alala muli ang Comelec ay handa para sa December 5, 2022,” he added.

(We had to adjust it a little bit so that at least we have a little leeway and we don’t have a fight over who should run in the upcoming election. However, the Comelec is ready for the December 5, 2022 elections.)

The Comelec earlier promulgated a resolution moving the dates of the filing of COC from October 22 to October 29, and the election period and gun ban from November 6 to December 20.

The Senate, meanwhile, approved on second reading the bill postponing the 2022 barangay and SK elections for a year.
 
The House of Representatives approved the counterpart bill on third and final reading. — VBL, GMA News

Comelec”s Garcia on proposed 6-year term for barangay, SK execs: ‘Too long”
Source: Filipino Viral News PH