Davao Oriental Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario (Photo courtesy of House Press and Public Affairs Bureau) MANILA - A lawmaker on Wednesday proposed to postpone the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to Oct. 9, 2023. In filing House Bill 1367, Davao Oriental Representative Cheeno Miguel Almario emphasized the need to "buy more time" for Filipinos and the country to recover from the impact of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. In his explanatory note, Almario stated that the two elections would cost the government roughly PHP10 billion, which could instead be used for initiatives to keep the people safe and help the economy bounce back. "On the other hand, the May 9, 2022 National and Local elections ushered in new sets of officials, elected and re-elected, who will definitely benefit from the experience of the existing barangay and SK officials in fighting the pandemic. Replacing these barangay and SK officials with a new set
Quezon City Rep. Ralph Tulfo (Photo courtesy of Tulfo's office) MANILA - Quezon City Representative Ralph Tulfo on Wednesday backed the proposal to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled on December 5, 2022 as it would give the government "ample time" to prepare after the 2022 national and local elections were just held in May. Quezon City Rep. Ralph Tulfo said holding the BSKE in May 2023 instead would be both an "affirmation and a reward" for the "faithfulness and service" of barangay and SK leaders to their constituents. "Palagay ko po ay tamang timpla na ang May 8, 2023 bilang bagong petsa ng halalan para sa Barangay at SK - hindi masyadong malapit, hindi rin masyadong malayo (I think May 8, 2023 is the perfect fit for the new date of the Barangay and SK elections not too soon and not too far)," Tulfo said. Tulfo said postponing these elections for too long would not be fair to those officials who served