PNS — It’s a fait accompli, the Senate’s actions on the proposed postponement of barangay elections and similar bills, the Senate chairman on local government said yesterday.
Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. moved to have the measures “archived” by the upper chamber as no less than President Aquino ruled out any possibility of a postponement of the polls, himself already announcing recently that the scheduled barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Oct. 25 will push through.
“The committee on local government wanted to have the committee report drafted at the soonest time possible in view of the urgency of this matter. However, events have superseded us and this option is no longer available to us,” Marcos said in manifesting on the floor the dispensation of Senate Bills 60 and 2377.
Both bills sought for the resetting of the barangay and SK elections.
Marcos’ committee conducted public hearings last Aug. 16 and 23 in hope of expediting the deliberations on these measures in time to call for the deferment of polls involving 42,000 barangay units, should the executive agreed to the proposition.
“In view of these developments and in the interest of good order, it is therefore the decision of this representation, as chair of the committee on local government, to archive Senate Bills 60 and 2377 and the proposed draft committee report for record purposes.
“Likewise included in the records to be archived is a copy of the recommendation of this representation to President Aquino to postpone the barangay and SK elections scheduled this Oct. 25 to October 2011,” he added.