THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) backed the proposed term extension for barangay officials so they can focus more on the implementation of their programs.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a press forum on Wednesday that he will support the move, which he said, started during the series of postponement of the synchronized local election in 2016 but was finally pushed through in 2018.
Under the Republic Act 10952, which was approved on October 2, 2017, it has postponed the October 23, 2017 poll and moved it to May 2, 2018. It also states that the next elections shall be held in May 2020. Because of the new schedule, it has reduced the terms of candidates who won in the May 2018 elections to only two years instead of the three years mandated by the previous law.
During their first year, Año explained, the elected officials are still learning the ropes in managing their barangays while the following year is the implementation of the programs they have crafted during the previous year. Usually, during their third year, they would have to campaign again for the coming elections.
"Dapat nga merong mga moves na tayo na magkaroon ng constitutional change dahil napakaliit ng termino na tatlong taon para sa mga local government officials so parang isang taon lang ang matino na panunungkulan niya sa tatlong taon," Año said.
He added, "Para sa akin dapat gawing apat o limang taong 'yong termino ng mga elected officials natin. Yong mga palpak, corrupt, ang trabaho ng DILG, tanggalin sa pwesto yan. Dapat effective ang duty ng DILG para hindi masayang yong ibinoto ng tao natin."
Aside from barangay officials, he also wants the local chief executives like mayors and governors to have term extension as well.
Earlier, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go expressed his interest to push for the extension of the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials.