MikeLigalig.com

Written By Ric Obedencio

No more rescheduling of the barangay elections, please.

This was the urgent call, apparently to Congress, of the almost 70 re-elected and neophytes vice-governors, who attended the 33rd National Assembly and Election of Officers of the League of Vice-Governors of the Philippines (LVGP) called by re-elected league’s national president Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera of Bohol. It was held at the Heritage Hotel, Pasay City on July 31-August 2, 2007.

This came even as the assembly provoked a heated debate over the proposed abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) due to the youth’s miserable performance that slowly embracing traditional politics.

Despite this, the Comelec continued to register the youth aged 15-17 for the SK elections set jointly with the barangay polls that led to the suspension of classes last Friday August 3, 2007.

The Assembly, during its plenary session presided over by Ilocos Sur Vice-Gov. Jeremias Singson, newly elected chairman of the board, passed a Resolution calling for holding of the election of barangay officials as scheduled on the last Monday of October this year. The measure was sponsored by North Cotabato Pinol.

But former Iloilo congressman, now Vice-Gov. Rolex Suplico, strongly proposed a separate Resolution that seeks to abolish the Sangguniang Kabataan because of dismal performance of the youth leaders but was withheld pending further study.

The move (pushing for barangay polls) was a sharp reaction to the Rep. Neptali Gonzales II proposed bill resetting the barangay polls apparently to synchronize with the presidential elections in 2010.

Nueva Vizcaya Vice-Gov Jose Gambito objected to the motion for the pushing through of the barangay polls as scheduled, saying he agreed with Neptali Gonzales in proposing a bill postponing the said elections to 2010. Thus, Singson called for the vote.

For his part, Vice-Gov. Jocel Baac of Kalinga said that the passage of the Resolution “is too abrupt” considering that this is more of concern on the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP). He proposed to study first the issue and “not to encroach” the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, which is directly affected by this.

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