PORING over the pertinent provisions on barangay creation and role of the
Local Government Code, one comes across a section (Sec. 387) on its chief
officials and other offices, viz: one punong barangay, seven (10 in cities) sangguniang barangay members or the kagawads, the sangguniang kabataan (SK) chairman, a barangay secretary and the barangay treasurer.
Additionally, there shall be created a lupong tagapamayapa, community
brigades and such other positions or offices “as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of barangay government in accordance with the needs of public service”.
***
Under Section 388, the punong barangay, sangguniang barangay members
and members of the lupong tagapamayapa are deemed persons in authority
while other barangay officials and members duly appointed are considered
agents of persons in authority.
Thus, barangay officials led by the punong barangay deserve respect and
their authority could not be taken for granted.
The Sangguniang Barangay is the legislative body of the barangay and is
composed of the Punong Barangay as the presiding officer and the seven regular sangguniang barangay members elected at large and the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman as members.
It is imperative that barangay officials, the punong barangay especially,
must have adequate academic preparation to handle with sensitivity and competence the affairs of the barangay.
As it is now, anybody can run for the vacant posts without considering his or her qualifications and right aptitude to run the affairs of the barangay. Maski sino na lang.
Anyway, the next elections for barangay and SK posts will be in the year
2020.
***
The same hold true for the aspirants for SK positions.
Under Section 424 of the Local Government Code, the qualifications of the SK aspirants are spelled out which includes inter alia that they should have actually resided in the barangay for six months; are 18-21 years old and are duly registered in the list of the sangguniang kabataan or in the official barangay list in the custody of the barangay secretary.
There is no mention of the minimum academic requirements for those running for SK positions however.
The powers and functions of the Sangguniang Kabataan are quite immense thus only the qualified ones should be voted into office.
***
By this time, the 10th ALCUAA meet should have been held involving thousand of participants converging into Mabalacat City.
This meet should shore up the local economy and tourism of the city.
The Mabalacat City College, headed by my sister, Dr. Carmelita P. Sotto, was the lead institution which handled the event which was also supported by the city government headed by Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo, a sports enthusiast.