Senate President Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� G. Escudero (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) is eyeing to push for the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in December, according to Senate President Chiz Escudero.
In the Senate on Monday, Escudero briefed members of the Liga ng mga Barangay of Naga City, Camarines Sur, about the matter.
Also present during the meeting was former Vice President and incoming Naga City mayor Leni Robredo, who paid a courtesy call to the Senate chief.
鈥淲hat was discussed by LEDAC last week is that the directive we are looking at is to continue the election, but it has to be decided upon by the Congress and Senate. And the term being eyed for local officials is four years,鈥� said Escudero in Filipino.
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鈥淏ecause the term for local officials wasn鈥檛 set right? The election was postponed and then it was set in December this year, without mentioning the term for local officials. What鈥檚 being discussed is to give them four years, but again, this has to be tackled and voted upon in the plenary of the Congress and Senate,鈥� he added.
According to the Senate chief, the version of the bill passed by the Senate seeks to postpone the elections with the barangay officials given 4 years of term. The House of Representatives鈥� version aims to postpone the elections this year, giving local officials 6 years of term each.
鈥淲hat was discussed in LEDAC is to continue the elections and give them a four-year term. If the Senate and Congress does not act on this, then the prevailing law would be heeded,鈥� said Escudero.
Robredo, for her part, said she鈥檚 personally hoping that the election would not push through this year because officials would be given shorter terms.
鈥淚 think incumbent barangay officials would not be given enough time to take into action their promises during the campaign or at least make these promises come true. I personally do not want it to push through as of now because I think a term of 聽just over two years is too short,鈥� she explained in Filipino.
In April, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) released the prescribed calendar of activities for the 2025 BSKE.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 11132 promulgated on April 21, the Comelec scheduled the 2025 BSKE on December 1, Monday./mr