LA TRINIDAD, Benguet(PIA)-- Various stakeholders in the Cordillera region committed to join  efforts to have a secure, accurate, free, and fair Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023.

 The Police Regional Office – Cordillera and the Commission on Election – Cordillera together with the various stakeholders participated in the Multi-Sectoral Peace Assembly for the BSKE 2023 coinciding with the traditional Monday Flag Raising Ceremony at Camp Major Bado Dangwa  here  on Monday, October 16, 2023.

COMELEC-CAR Regional Director Atty. Julius Torres, Department of the Interior and Local Government Regional Director Araceli San Jose, PRO Cordillera Deputy Regional Director for Administration PBGen. Patrick Joseph Allan, National Police Commission  Regional Director Editha Puddoc, Maksim Botillas of  the Department of Education-CAR, and the religious leaders from the various sects  led in the pledge of commitment “ to strengthen multipartite collaborations to ensure peace and preservation of democracy during the BSKE 2023.”

The officials also led the releasing of doves  symbolizing  freedom and democracy for peaceful and orderly elections.

He stressed  that the barangay and SK elections is significant like the local and national elections with the barangay as the basic  political unit  in the country and the primary implementing unit  implementing unit of government programs in the  in the community,  thus it is important to participate in the conduct of the BSKE.

Voting is essential because it pushes a country's democracy to function in a fair and equal way. The whole point of a democracy is to ensure that everyone has  his or her  chance to elect a candidate and vote for policies that represent and benefit their communities.

 “Barangay and SK officials are literally and figuratively true frontliners. Sila muna ang haharap sa mga tao kung may mga issue o suliranin sa kumunidad. Sila ang unang tatakbuhan ng mga tao ipang isangguni ang ang kanilang mga problema. Kaya napakaimportante na ang mga opisyal ng barangay ay masipag at may malasakit. Ito ang rason na dapat ay bigyan natin ng halaga ang barangay at SK elections,” he added.

 The Comelec official  called on all the stakeholders from the security force and the other sectors to unite for the common objective of a safe, peaceful and orderly elections in the Cordillera region. (JDP/RMC- PIA CAR) (PRO Cor photos)