The leadership of the House of Representatives on Monday moved to postpone the scheduled October 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to May 2018 with a holdover provision among incumbent village officials, a House official said on Monday.
House majority floor leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said the House leadership reached a consensus following an all-party caucus where the House members agreed to hold the barangay elections in time for the Charter change plebiscite and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law in May next year.
By postponing the conduct of this October's barangay elections, Fariñas said the incumbent village officials will be retained in a holdover capacity.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs and author of House Bill (HB) 5359 which seeks to postpone the twin polls, said Congress can still beat the deadline to pass his measure.
“We still have enough time to postpone the barangay and SK polls. We hope Malacañang will certify the bill as urgent to make this possible,” said Barbers.
Aside from Barbers' bill, HB 5361 and 5380 were filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and ANAC-IP party-list Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr., respectively.
The bills were entitled “An Act Postponing The October 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, Amending For the Purpose Republic Act 9164, As Amended By RA 9340, RA 10656 and RA10923, Prescribing Additional Rules Governing The Conduct Of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections And For Other Purposes.”
Both HB 5359 and 5361 provide for the amendment of Section 1 of RA 9164, as amended by RA 9340, RA 10656 and RA 10923.
