Wednesday, November 28, 2007 ABC, SK elections for officers set
THE Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) elections in the municipal and component city levels are on Dec. 11, five days after the SK federations in the towns and cities elect their officers.
A memorandum from DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno said the ABC elections for the provincial, metropolitan, highly-urbanized cities (HUCs) and independent component cities (ICCs) are on Dec. 29, while that for the national level is on Jan. 29 next year.
SK federation elections for the provincial and metropolitan levels are on Dec. 17, while that for the national federation is on Jan. 17 next year.
Puno said that on Dec. 4 to 5, there should be a basic orientation seminar for the new SK officers. This will include expectations and objective setting.
The newly elected SK chairpersons will also be taught about barangay legislative matters since they will sit ex-officio members in their respective barangay councils. They should also be taught how to manage SK funds.
This seminar should be made two days before the SK federation elections for the provincial/metropolitan, and national levels.
National Youth Commission representatives will act as observers during the elections at the local levels.
Notices
Before the Dec. 11 ABC elections, the municipal and component city ABC presidents should have already sent notices to their respective board members so various committees and boards for the elections are formed.
They were supposed to send the notices from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3 this year.
For the Dec. 29 ABC elections, the ABC officers of the provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities have Dec. 11 to 17 to do the same.
Election requirements for the ABC elections are payment of registration fees and submission of credentials (municipal, CC levels) or certificate of confirmation (provincial, HUC, ICC levels).
Puno asked the PNP to help keep the elections peaceful.
He also told all local Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officers to help outgoing SK federation officials to have smooth elections.
In the counting of votes, the Board of Election Supervisors (BES) should be headed by the DILG officer, Puno said.
Te members should be a Commission on Elections representative and a non-government organization/people’s organization representative to be chosen by the incumbent ABC board.
The BES has the authority to resolve controversies that may arise during the election and any post-proclamation electoral protest.
The BES decisions, though, are to be reviewed by the National Liga nga mga Barangay board, whose decisions are “final and executory.”
The DILG is tasked to supervise the conduct of the ABC elections, and secure the needed ballot boxes, portable voting booths and writing board. (RHM)
