House Ways and Means chair and Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Thursday requested Civil Service Commission (CSC) chairperson Karlo Alexei B. Nograles to release the guidelines for the issuance of the Certificate of Eligibility for officials of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) under Republic Act 11768.
The law–which Salceda authored–amended the SK Reform Act and introduced benefits to SK officials.
The law, which was enacted in July 2021, gave the relevant agencies 90 days to promulgate the necessary rules and regulations. The IRR, however, was only issued in September last year, and the guidelines for the CSC eligibility have not yet been issued.
The law also entitles SK Treasurers and Secretaries to the same benefit. The same law granted SK officials honorarium as part of their benefits.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) meanwhile suspended the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) for BSKE in Metro Manila, Abra and Ilocos Norte on August 30, due to typhoon “Goring”.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said that the filing of COCs, which was supposed to end on September 2, Saturday, would be extended until 5:00pm of September 3, 2023, Sunday. The poll chief clarified that the extension of the filing of COCs will apply only in Metro Manila, Abra and Ilocos Norte.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said work in all Comelec offices in the three areas were suspended on Thursday “due to severe rains and flooding… brought about by Typhoon Goring.”
The Comelec also reported that three out of four recent incidents of violence were not related to the upcoming 2023 BSKE.
Laudiangco said these incidents include: in Cainta, Rizal last week where the barangay tanods and the suspect were shot dead; in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao where four police officers were injured and the suspects of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters; and the incident in Midsayap, North Cotabato where Barangay Malingaw Punong Barangay aspirant Haron Dimanes were gunned down.
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) chief minister Ahod Ebrahim meanwhile reported that the filing of COCs “has been going well so far.”
The official said no violence related to the COC filing in the region had been reported since the activity started on August 28. With Vito Barcelo