Mahinog SB joins calls to defer brgy, SK polls

Coun. Rey Lawrence K. Tan speaking from the podium during the session of the municipal council

STRESSING that holding of two elections in the same year is "unhealthy" to economic growth and political stability, the Municipal Council of Mahinog presided by vice mayor Rogerio C. Acle on Monday passed a resolution calling to defer the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections set on October this year to October 2012.

Several measures have been filed in both the Senate and House of Representatives seeking to postpone the October this year synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Among the measures is House Bill No. 238 authored by Camiguin lone district representative Pedro P. Romualdo.

The committee on suffrage and electoral reforms in the House of Representatives is set to start August 18 hearings on these proposals.

In House Bill No. 238, the resetting of barangay and SK elections is called for to give enough time for Comelec "to focus on finishing its job on automation elections and attend to various protest cases."

According to the resolution authored by councilor Rey Lawrence K. Tan, the resetting of elections will save the country from huge election expenses and for the new administration of President Aquino to be able to focus on keeping the economy and political transition in order.

The councilors said the country has just experienced the May 10, 2010 elections and the people in the barangay are still recovering from serious divisiveness caused by the recently concluded elections.

The resolution also noted that while elections are essential elements of democracy, holding of two elections in the same year will not be healthy to economic growth and political stability of the country.