What to know before the 2018 Barangay elections

The Philippines will be holding the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections for the first time in several years after it had been put on hold–five years for the Barangay elections, and in eight years for SK elections.

This was because Congress ratified bills suspending the polls originally scheduled in October 2016 and October 2017.

Former Secretary Ismael Sueno, of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), had explained that the suspension was meant to save public funds that will be allocated to the government’s infrastructure projects.

President Rodrigo Duterte also supported the suspension of elections after expressing his concerns regarding the possible use of drug money in campaign sorties.

President Duterte signed the Republic Act No. 10923 on October 15, 2016, weeks before the scheduled elections. The date of the elections was later rescheduled on October 23, 2017, but was again reset to May 14, 2018, through Republic Act No. 10952.

In view of the very long lull since the last Barangay elections on October 28, 2013, and last the SK elections on October 25, 2010, the following details might be of help to refresh the minds of the voting populace who will go out and vote on Monday.

Who will be elected in the May 14 polls?

On May 14, registered voters aged 30 years old down to 15 years old on the day of the election would be allowed to vote for SK officers.  On a red-colored ballot, eligible voters would input one (1) SK Chairman and seven (7) members of the Katipunan ng Kabataan or the SK Kagawad.

Candidates for SK Chairman and SK Kagawad positions would have to be residents of the barangay for at least one (1) year, at least 18 to 24 years old, able to read and write, and without final conviction for any crime.

For the barangay positions, eligible voters aged 18 years old and above will be given a black-colored ballot, where they would input one (1) Barangay Chairman and seven (7) members of the Sangguniang Barangay or Barangay Kagawad.

Take note that the voters aged 18 to 30 years old will receive two different ballots, as they are both eligible to vote for the Sangguniang Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials.

Just how important is a barangay election?

The upcoming elections are necessarily important, as it will also be a “litmus test” of the anti-political dynasty law.

According to DILG Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, the implementation of the law on the Sangguniang Kabataan elections will eventually lead to reforms within the electoral system.

But barangay elections in itself is important.  According to the Local Government Code of the Philippines, the barangay is the basic political subdivision of the country — therefore, immediate concerns within the community would have to undergo through barangay officials first before being elevated to the city council.

Barangay officials are on the frontline—they are part of the community’s primary peace keeping force. But aside from ensuring peace and order, barangay officials also provide their local government plans to improve the community—from annual budget proposals, contract and investment negotiations, to implementation of plans, including the construction and maintenance of public facilities within the barangay.

According to the Caloocan City’s City Planning Department, the Sangguniang Barangay plays a critical role in the formulation of development plans—because barangay works hand-in-hand with the city mayor.

As the creation of a comprehensive development plan of a city takes into consideration the projects that every barangay needs, the task of informing the local government unit falls in the hands of the whole Sangguniang Barangay.

Barangay officials casually do this through submitting barangay development plans.  In case the council, under the leadership of the Barangay Chairman and the SK Chairman, would fail to deliver the needed documents, then the barangay would suffer from underdevelopment.

Quick facts

–          “Barangay” is an altered word originating from the balangay, a vessel used by Austronesians which can accommodate families in it.

–          Contrary to beliefs, native Filipinos have already used the term barangay even before the Spanish occupation, although in a different context.  Modern barangays are mandated by geographical boundaries, but pre-colonial barangays are composed of 50 to 100 families bound by loyalty to a datu, so it is not strange to see people leaving near each other belonging to different barangays.

–          Pre-colonial barangay can be independent or a member of a confederation of other barangays, who would elect a rajah or the pangulo.

–          As of December 31, 2017, there are 42,036 barangays all over the Philippines.

–          The biggest barangay in the Philippines is located in Caloocan City.  It is Barangay 176 or Bagong Silang, which occupies a land area of 5.24 square kilometers and is home to 243,890 people. In comparison, it is larger than Pateros, the smallest municipality in the country in terms of area (1.76 square km) and population (64,147). /jpv

SOURCES:

President signs law resetting barangay polls to May 2018

Comelec to intensify voter’s education for 2018 barangay, SK polls

“Ninuno Mo, Ninuno Ko” by Ernesto J. Laput

Philippine Statistics Authority

City Planning Department of Caloocan City

Local Government Code of the Philippines – Book III

Omnibus Election Code

Republic Act No. 10923

Republic Act No. 10952

Republic Act No. 10742