CORTES, Bohol Oct. 15 (PIA) –The postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) to October  next year could be an opportunity for the country to push for the needed reforms in the law and come out with a better, more practical and more efficient system, said Bohol Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Supervisor Atty. Eliseo RZB Labaria.

Sharing his thoughts during the recent Kapihan sa PIA a day after Malacanang made public the law which amended Republic Act 9164, Labaria said this move also gives more time for COMELEC to ready the elections especially the voting precincts which are now occupied with the reopening of the face-to-face classes.

SK Reforms

High up in the reforms being proposed for the SK is the age bracket which comprises the SK membership.

The current consideration for SK membership is 15-30 years old, which includes the youth that may have problems with their legal personality being below age of maturity.

The contention is that as an SK member, they can be technically elected and would have to handle government funds and opening public accounts without the legal personality to do so.

In addition that, once an SK member marries, membership does not cease until past 30.

If a member is elected SK chairman at 18 years old and marries, the membership continues.

Barangay Reforms

Foremost among the reforms is the proposal to make barangay officials earn fixed salaries, creating equality among the government service frontliners.

Anti-Dynasty Law

While the SK reform bill provides for the ban on electing SK officials who are relatives of local elected and appointed officials up to second level of consanguinity and relatives of national and appointed officials, the absence of an implementing rule and regulation on this provision makes the law deficient.

“This should be the perfect time, after all, there is almost a year for legislators to put his measure in place,” said Labaria.
Originally set for Dec. 5, 2022, the BSK elections had the COMELEC intensifying their preparations and were about 70% ready as of Oct. 10, when Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 11935.

RA 11935 postponed the December 2022 BSK elections and amended Republic Act 9164.

“With that, it immediately stopped us from the preparations and allowed us to prepare for the reopening of the registration,” said Labaria.

Instead of an BSK election set for Dec. 5, 2022, Section 1 of the new law said there shall be a synchronized BSK polls which shall be held on the last Monday of October, and every three years thereafter.

With the new law, all incumbent Barangay and SK officials remain in office on a hold-over capacity, until their successors are elected and qualified.

That holdover capacity, however, would apply unless these incumbent officials have been removed from office or suspended for a cause.

All Barangay and SK members who are currently serving as ex-officio members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod, or Sangguniang Panlalawigan would continue to serve as members of the Sanggunian concerned and until the next BSK elections have elected new ex-officio representatives. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)