Governors back postponement of barangay, SK polls, says LPP head

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

KORONADAL CITY——The League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), the organization of provincial governors in the country, is supporting the postponement of the 2022 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, its top official said.

“Majority of our governors believe that there’s really a need to postpone the elections,” said LPP president and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr.

The LPP held its second general assembly in this city last September 30, hosted by the South Cotabato provincial government.

READ: Pimentel, Padilla oppose postponement of barangay, SK polls

The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), the umbrella of all leagues of local government units and locally elected government officials, shares the LPP’s position, said Tamayo, who is also ULAP’s interim chairperson.

In calling for the postponement of the December 5 polls, the leagues took into consideration the fact that the country held the national and local elections last May, and that the government will again spend billions for another political exercise, Tamayo said.

Tamayo admitted that the governors’ support for the deferment call was a bit late since Congress already approved the measure and it is just waiting the approval of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

However, Tamayo, who is also the president of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), said the President will still hear the opinion of the country’s governors before making his decision.

The President is the PFP’s national chair and was its standard bearer during the May 9, 2022 elections.

Pending the President’s signature on the measure, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has started making preparations for the elections. Aside from setting a revised election calendar, the Comelec has also proceeded with the printing of ballots.

Should the polls proceed as scheduled, the Comelec will also set a gun ban from November 6 to December 20, 2022.

/MUF