Iloilo brgy. execs want 2 more years in office
Close to 19,000 elected and appointed barangay officials, including Sangguniang Kabataan chairmen, in Iloilo province want their term extended for another two years.
Liga ng mga Barangay President Jeneda Salcedo-Orendain said they already asked congressmen from Iloilo to support their cause by amending the law.
“We want the term of barangay officials extended to five years from the regular term of three years,” Orendain said.
The congressmen we have talked to pledged to support us, she added.
The next barangay and SK elections are set on October 25 this year.
Orendain said the barangay officials in Iloilo also want the election postponed because of lack of budget as many of the barangays’ funds were used up in the rehabilitation efforts after Typhoon Frank hit the province two years ago.
“We are financially hard up due to the previous calamities. We have not yet recovered. Having the elections this year is expensive (for us),” she said during yesterday’s press conference in Iloilo City.
Orendain said the barangays’ calamity fund is suffering. In fact, they only allocated one percent of the barangay Internal Revenue Allotment share to the calamity fund instead of the standard five percent.
LIGA DAY
On August 15, the Liga ng mga Barangay Iloilo Provincial Chapter will hold its 2010 Liga Day at the Iloilo Sports Complex in La Paz district, Iloilo City.
Iloilo province has 1, 721 barangays in its 43 towns and in the component city of Passi.
All barangays officials, including treasurers, secretaries, health workers and tanods are expected to join the activity.
Orendain said the activity is designed to create strong ties and promote unity among barangay officials.
They will also recognize the barangays and barangay officials who have performed well in their respective localities.
“This reflects the hopes and aspirations of the leaders in the grassroots level–to move as one and to work harmoniously for a progressive Iloilo,” Orendain added.
Among the top government officials invited to the event are Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., Police Regional Office 6 Director Samuel Pagdilao Sr., and Regional Director Evelyn Trompeta of Department of Interior and Local Government 6.
