Angara lauds signing of law postponing barangay, SK polls

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara hailed on Tuesday the signing of the law, postponing this year’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls for another year, optimistic that the deferment would enable government agencies “to effect the necessary reforms needed and required under existing laws.”

Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, pointed out that the law was the first signed under the Duterte administration.  The senator authored the measure and sponsored its passage on the Senate floor.

READ: Duterte inks law postponing barangay, SK polls

“A foremost reason for pushing through with postponement is to allow more time for the full implementation of the SK Reform Act or Republic Act No. 10742,” he said in a statement.

Angara said the government was not ready to implement many of the provisions and programs under the SK Reform Act, one of which is the creation of a training fund worth P50 million to be used for the mandatory training of SK officials.

“The mandatory trainings did not push through this year because the 2016 GAA (General Appropriations Act) did not provide any such training funds,” he said.

“Postponement only gives the Comelec (Commission on Elections) more time to assure higher voter turnout for these elections, and would-be voters the head space to fully consider who should lead their barangays,” the senator added.

Angara said the measure aims to move the twin elections, originally set on October 31 this year, to the fourth Monday of October, or October 23, 2017.

In the meantime, he said, the terms of incumbent and SK officials will be extended for a year “unless they are removed or suspended from office.” RAM

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