REPRESENTATIVE Mercedes Alvarez said lawmakers in Negros Occidental are amenable to the proposal of postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Alvarez said she had talked with her fellow Negrense congressmen and none so far would like the barangay election to push through as scheduled on October 25.
Aside from Negros congressmen, Alvarez said she also talked to other lawmakers from the different parts of the country and majority of them also share the same sentiment.
She said she met the other congressmen during the orientation for neophyte lawmakers last July 8 in preparation for their inaugural session on July 26, when President Benigno Aquino III is set to deliver for the first time his State of the Nation Address (Sona).
The Negros lawmakers, including lone district Congressman Anthony Golez, are expected to vote for Quezon City Congressman Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte for the speakership. They all belong to Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) party.
Alvarez said they would like the barangay elections postponed because they want President Aquino to adjust for his new administration and besides, there are more pressing issues to attend to in the national level.
Alvarez suggested that instead of spending the budget for the barangay election, better that it should be spent for the implementation of priority programs and projects.
Alvarez is amenable to a one year gap of the holding of the barangay election from the local and national elections.
She also said that election is divisive because of the rivalry and competition among candidates.
But Commission on Elections Provincial Supervisor lawyer Jessie Suarez said they are still preparing for the barangay election and would continue with the registration of voters despite the proposals for its postponement.
He said they are now preparing the Data Capturing Machines for the coming registration of voters. (Teresa Ellera-Dulla)