MORE NEWS, KALINGA

Kalinga barangays to hold special polls

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Barangays in the province who have incomplete members of the Sangguniang Kabataan will hold special elections this coming May to fill up vacancies.

Many barangays have no SK kagawad or if there are not all the slots are filled up without the appointment of secretary and treasurer, town officials said.

The Local Government Code does not specify the mode of appointment to fill up existing vacancies in the SK, they said.

But Supreme Court however ruled that the vacancy shall be filled by the SK members chosen by the incumbent SK members by simple majority among themselves.

Administrative Order No. 224 issued by Pres. Arroyo authorized the Secretary of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government to exercise the power of appointment, for and in behalf of the President of the Philippines, for purposes of filling up the vacancies in the SK

Provincial DILG chief Francisco Gamatero said a barangay can conduct the election immediately after 15 days of publication and an information drive should have been carried out.

Citing a provision of Administrative Order No. 224 issued by the President, Gamatero which states, “to strengthen the role of the youth in nation-building, it is imperative that the vacancies in the SK be filled up in accordance with the procedures set in the Garvida case confirmed by an appointment pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of the Constitution.

Gamatero said the exercise will be funded by the barangay including payment of honoraria to personnel who will conduct the election.

Involved agencies are the DILG, Commission on Elections, and the SK.
He said almost all barangays in Kalinga have incomplete SK councils. “During the filing of candidacy, many SK members vying for elections fail to submit the requirements, particularly drug test certificate because of their inability to pay the laboratory fee,” he said. -- PIA-Kalinga