Congress urged not to postpone SK, barangay polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday urged Congress not to pass a law that would postpone the barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) polls scheduled for October 25. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that the "huge" turnout during the first day of the registration for the barangay and SK elections is "a strong indication" that people want the October polls to proceed as scheduled. He said that in the NCR alone, 5,028 voters showed up on the first day of registration. “We urge members of Congress to visit Comelec registration centers in their respective districts so that they can have a feel of what their constituents really want regarding the upcoming polls," he said. The registration period for the barangay polls began on August 4 and will end on August 13. On the other hand, the list-up for the SK elections began on August 6 and will last until August 15. Pending bills At least two bills seeking the postponement of the October elections are pending at the Senate and House of Representatives. At the Senate, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri filed Senate Bill No. 60 which seeks to move the October 2010 elections to October 2012. He likewise wants to extend the terms of barangay officials to five years to supposedly address the issue of effective governance and implementation of long-term projects nationwide. He said the two-year extension would lessen government expenses. Jimenez said the upcoming barangay and SK polls will cost the government a minimum of P3.2 billion. At the House of Representatives, House Minority leader Edcel Lagman had likewise filed a bill that would move the said elections also to 2012. Lagman said the postponement will save a lot of money that can be spent on priority government projects. Also, the barangay and SK polls should be moved because it is too close to the just-concluded 2010 national elections, he added. 'Do we have the cash for it?' On Thursday, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said he sees nothing wrong with postponing the October elections for at least a year. “Sa tingin ko (In my view), a one year extension is reasonable. A three-year extension of course is crazy," said Belmonte, adding that he would not impose his opinion and will allow each member of the House to decide on the matter. “What we are concerned about is the financial implications of it. Do we actually have the money for it? We have the appropriation which is simply the authority to stand, but do we have the cash to do it?" Belmonte asked. “I’m not really trying to do this to benefit any of the incumbents or anything. Ang nakikita ko lang eh (But I’m concerned that) it's too close to the past elections and the coffers are not exactly in the best of condition and so forth. And there is hardly any harm to postponing it for a year," he said. But Senator Francis Escudero said that there probably wouldn't be enough time to pass a law that would postpone the barangay and SK elections. He said that with less than three months before the October polls, the chambers have yet to be organized. He likewise noted that by the time Congress is finally ready to tackle the bills filed with the committees, the candidates for the October polls would have started their campaign. "Pababayaan na siguro yun (I think they'll let the polls to proceed)," Escudero told reporters on Friday.—with Amita Legaspi/JV, GMANews.TV