Aquino pushes bgy polls

MALACAÑANG wants the Commission on Elections to continue with its preparations for the holding of the barangay elections in October despite calls for postponement of the polls.

Secretary Ramon Carandang, spokesman for the President, said the Palace supports the move in Congress to postpone the barangay elections despite the growing consensus among lawmakers for its postponement until October 2012.

“Sinabi naman ni Pangulong Aquino na dapat ituloy ang barangay elections kahit alam natin na may panukala sa Kamara na i-postpone ito,” Carandang said.

House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II had said the Comelec should not suspend its preparations despite discussions on postponement. He said the President is determined to hold the barangay elections in October.

The President earlier said he would prefer that the barangay elections push through this year adding that he is set to certify a measure that would synchronize the holding of the next barangay and local elections in 2013.

Carandang said the President had already met with his allies in Congress to push the passage of the synchronized elections in 2013 instead of the postponement of the barangay elections this year. He said Congress leaders also held a caucus on the issue.

He said the barangay elections would also be among the topics to be discussed during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting that the President will convene anytime soon. by Tess Bedico - Journal.com.ph

Brgy Election or not

On with the barangay elections

I don’t agree with the call of our senators for the postponement of the barangay and SK elections primarily on the issue of savings or diverting the P3.5 billion fund allocation to more “worthwhile” projects. On this issue, there is no other way but to instead support P-Noy on his stand of letting the polls push thru as mandated by law. That is, if we are to start reforming our political structure down to the grassroots level.

Possibly save for very few instances, our experience in the last nine years that GMA was in power would lead to the conclusion that the widespread corruption that permeated her administration has seeped down to the village level. There is thus a need for an urgent revamp of our village officials.

Sandamakmak na ang mga tamad, tanga, iresponsable at mga tiwaling opisyales ng barangay at panahon na para naman masipa at mapalitan ang mga ito, ’di ba, kasamang Pabs Hernandez ng Bulgar?

Paano natin maisusulong ang tuwid na landas na gusto ni P-Noy kung karamihan sa mga magsusulong nito sa ibaba, ang mga barangay officials, ay mga abusado at protektor ng mga iligal mula jueteng, tupada, bookies ng karera hanggang droga?

By calling for a postponement of the barangay polls, our lawmakers are not contributing to the effort towards good governance; they are only proving themselves to be far removed from today’s reality.

Sa pagpipilit ng ating mga mambabatas na kanselahin ang barangay election ngayong Oktubre, ang nakikita natin ay grupo ng mga pulitiko na sariling interes lang talaga ang inaatupag at hindi “nakakapa” ang sitwasyon ng ordinaryong mamamayan.

Dahil ba nasa posisyon na kayo at “masarap na ang buhay” ay wala na kayong pakialam sa hirap na dinaranas ng karaniwang tao sa kamay ng kanilang mga abusadong barangay leaders?

Ditto, the call of P-Noy for the scrapping of the SK polls is timely and relevant. Kung mayroon man na dapat ipasang batas ang Kongreso, ito ay ang paglusaw sa SK election.

P-Noy, who has a gentle personality, may not have voiced it in order to avoid offending some quarters but the fact of the matter is that the SK has become a school ground for political corruption. Mga bata pa tinuturuan na agad ng katiwalian!

Indeed, if the aim of the SK is to instil discipline and hone the leadership qualities of our youth, then the right thing to do is to restore compulsory military training. Ibalik ang ROTC, tapos! journal.com.ph

Senate to push barangay elections issue to LEDAC

by Marlon Purificacion

THE Senate will push the barangay elections issue to undergo the review of Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to resolve the issue of postponement or not. Senator Migz Zubiri has expressed optimism that the barangay elections will be postponed. “Kailangan face to face. Sana by next week magpatawag na siya (President Aquino) ng LEDAC. Ilang araw na, month and a half, 45 days,” said Zuburi. The Senate Committee on Local Government headed by Senator Bongbong Marcos has conducted a Senate inquiry yesterday morning to hear the side of all ‘stakeholders’ whether the supposed October 25 barangay elections will be postpone or not. Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto II has agreed the idea of postponing the barangay elections until 2013 to save the tax payer’s money worth P3.4 billion which can be used for more important government program like establishing more school buildings and others. Sotto said if the government will postpone the barangay elections for a year, it just like delaying the expenses. “But still we will spend such amount. We just hold barangay elections along with national election on 2013,” said Sotto. Both Sotto and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile were in favor to postpone the barangay elections till 2013 national elections. “I am for the synchronization dahil masyadong magastos ’yang frequent elections. We’ll economize much and maybe what we can save can be earmarked for education and health,” said Enrile. “Maganda ’yung proposal ni SP (Enrile) para isang gastusin na lang. Isang election kada tatlong taon para hindi midterm, maraming election, too divisive,” Zubiri added. President Noynoy Aquino has earlier announced that he is not in favor in the proposal of Congress to postpone the barangay election. “Problema natin, balita ayaw ni Noy postponement so kailangan kumbinsihin with SP na kausapin siya. Ito ’yung advantages. Baka hindi nila nakikita. ’Pag kinausap siya, makakatipid ‘to sa ating lahat at walang politicking syempre sa halalan mga kapitan nakatayo sa entablado may kinakampanya, siguro kung sabay-sabay wala na maikampanya. ’Di na political. More apolitikal,” Zubiri stressed. Senator Marcos on the hand is also in favor for the deferment of the barangay elections. “I filed for one year. Not my intent to push for one year and put it there to give ourselves option, there’s the syncro. Sa house, 11 measures, each has own solution. I’ll leave the decision (if there’s postpone). I’m not pushing for a part. Period. I want to see from everyone who has the most practicable period of postponement, the most useful to handle the problem with SK, cost,” Marcos added. Comelec chairman Jose Melo said they will continue the preparation for the barangay elections until the Congress and Malacañang can decide whether it will be postponed or not. journal.com.ph

SK Abolition, Politician's billboards and Barangay Polls among hot topics

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo on Monday reiterated his call for the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) or the barangay (village-level) youth council, saying this would end “divisiveness” among the youth entering in politics.

Abolishing the SK council, he said, will also remove from the youth the culture of corruption that is usually associated with politics.

“Ang katunayan, ang nais sana natin ay matuto siya kung paano maglingkod hindi mamulitika. Yung lumang sistema palagay ko natuto siya mamulitika eh hindi siya natutong maglingkod talaga (The truth is we want them to learn how to serve, not politicize. With the old system, I think, they learn how to politicize but they do not learn how to really serve),” Robredo said.

Robredo submitted a proposed bill to Malacanang calling for the abolition of the SK council. Instead, Robredo is pushing for the election of just one youth representative, which will also be held coinciding with the barangay elections.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100816-287147/Robredo-SK-council-abolition-to-end-divisiveness-in-local-politics

Allies of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday opposed the government’s plan to remove the politicians’ names on the billboards for infrastructure projects.

Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay said billboards help the public identify the projects initiated by their congressmen using the PDAF.

“That is one form of transparency on our part. Also if the DPWH and the Aquino administration stop us from doing this how will they know where we put our PDAF. We can put it on top of the mountain and nobody will know," she said.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/198677/arroyo-allies-want-politicians-names-on-billboards

Minority to block 2010 barangay polls

The minority bloc in the House of Representatives is against the holding of the barangay (village-level) elections in October this year and vowed to block moves of allies of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in the chamber to push through with it.

Said the scheduled barangay polls is too close to the recently-held May presidential elections and could strain not only the government coffers but the pockets of congressmen.

Zambales Representative Ma. Milagros Magsaysay said Malacanang’s allies in the chamber should not make it appear that they are already in agreement with the stance of the President.

She said Malacanang should wait for the decision of the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms on the matter.

The committee headed by Cavite Representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr. will begin hearing on various proposals to postpone the barangay elections on Wednesday.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100816-287151/Minority-to-block-2010-barangay-polls

DILG bans politician's photos on billboards, vehicles

INTERIOR Secretary Jesse Robredo banned the display of photos and names of local government officials on billboards and patrol vehicles, following the example set by President Benigno Aquino III.

“Revisit previous projects and see to it that billboards, tarpaulins and signages for DILG projects do not emblazon the name or image of any government personality or politician,” he said in his memorandum to all local government officials and DILG attached agencies.

Robredo also prohibited the display of politicans’ names and pictures on government fire trucks, ambulances, vans and police vehicles. He directed all DILG operating unit heads to follow the President’s lead of not displaying his photos in billboards, signages and other similar information materials.

He issued the order following Aquino’s directive to all Cabinet members, heads of agencies and instrumentalities and government-owned or controlled corporations to refrain from associating his personality and identity to their programs and projects.

“The practice of putting up billboards and signages bearing the names of government officials and even politicians does not sit well with our citizenry who are the major contributors in financing government undertakings, through the payment of their respective taxes,” he said. by Joel dela Torre - journal.com.ph

Noynoy desididong matuloy ang Barangay, SK polls sa Oktubre 25

Nais ni Pangulong Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III na matuloy ang Barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections sa darating na Oktubre 25. Ito ay sakabila ng mga mungkahi ng iba’t ibang grupo sa lokal na pamahalaan na ipagpaliban ang halalan.

Sa panayam ng mga mamamahayag sa Malacanang nitong Miyerkules, sinabi ni presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, na nais din ni Aquino na pagkatapos ng halalan sa Oktubre 25, ay isasabay na ang susunod na halalang pambarangay at SK sa susunod na halalan sa 2013.

"The preference of the President is for the barangay elections to go through in October. The reason behind this is we'd like to synchronize the elections in 2013," ayon kay Lacierda.

Bukod dito, nais din umano ni Aquino na baguhin ang komposisyon ng SK at gawin isa na lamang ang ihahalal bilang kinatawan ng kabataan halip na walo – isang chair at pitong konsehal.

Sinabi ni Lacierda na inatasan ni Aquino si Interior and Local Government Sec Jesse Robredo na maghanda ng panukalang batas na irerekomenda nilang ipasa ng Kongreso.

Kasama umano sa imumungkahi sa panukala na bawasan ng limang buwan ang magiging termino ng mga mahahalal na mga barangay official sa gaganaping Oct 25 elections para maisabay ang susunod nilang halalan sa mid-term elections sa May 2013.

Ang mga barangay at SK elections ay may tatlong taong termino. Ngunit dahil ilang ulit naipagpaliban ang halalan, nausog ang petya sa kanilang eleksiyon.

Sinabi ng tagapagsalita ni Aquino na ihahain ng kanilang mga kaalyado sa Kongreso ang imumungkahi nitong panukalang batas at sisikapin itong maipasa bago ang barangay at SK elections sa Oct 25.

Kapag naisabay ang barangay at SK elections sa midterm elections 2013, sinabi ni Lacierda na makatitipid ang gobyerno ng P800 milyon.

Ilang mambabatas ang nais na ipagpaliban ang nakatakdang halalan sa Oct 25 upang magamit sa ibang makabuluhang programa ng pamahalaan ang nakalaang P3.2 bilyon pondo para sa eleksiyon.

Una rito, nagpahayag sina Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile at Speaker Feliciano Belmonte na iurong ang halalan ng isang taon.

Para naman kay Vice President Jejomar Binay, mas makabubuting buwagin na umano ang barangay at SK elections dahil dagdag na gastos lang umano sa gobyerno ang proseso. - GMANews.TV