THE revelry of victory should be over by now, it's time to buckle down to work and make sure that the barangays are up and about, ready to attend to all concerns of the residents.
Newly elected barangay officials should by now be making a list of what they should be doing on the first weeks of their service, especially the new ones.
The list should include looking into the projects and records that are still pending. This can be in infrastructure, repair and maintenance, and the Lupong Tagapagpamayapa.
Then there are the concerns of women and child protection and anti-drug programs.
The checklist should keep each newly elected official busy while awaiting the time they officially take over the reins of their barangay. It should also give them a clear picture of what they intend to do afterwards.
Then there are the Sangguniang Kabataan officials who will have to undergo a one-week mandatory training under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) so they will get proper guidance on what the SK should be doing. It will help if the young ones also make a list of what they think can be done for the betterment of the youths in the barangay, beyond just the ubiquitous barangay basketball league, beauty pageants and singing contests. The youths should be more creative than that.
The ones who won chose to run, thus, we expect them to start serving the moment they are officially sworn in and their term starts.
With so many concerns in the barangays, there is no time to slack.
As the Local Development Code of the Philippines states: "As the basic political unit, the Barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community, and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled."
Ready, get set...