House okays barangay, SK polls postponement on 2nd reading

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure to postpone the October 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. (Photo by Coat of Arms of the Philippines.svg: Vectorized by Zachary Harden (Zscout370).Seal of the Philippine House of Representatives.png: The original uploader was Exec8 at English Wikipedia.Later version(s) were uploaded by RNAlonto, SunKing at English Wikipedia /* derivative work: NikNaks – Own work based on: House of Representatives / Congress of the Philippineshttp, Public Domain)

MANILA — The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure to postpone the October 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Members of the lower chamber approved through voice voting the postponement of barangay polls to the second Monday of May 2018 proposed under House Bill No. 6308.

The said proposal also seeks to retain the incumbent barangay officials in a holdover capacity.

Furthermore, the bill provides that subsequent elections shall be held on the second Monday of May 2020 and every three years thereafter.

In a text message to reporters on Thursday, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chair Sherwin Tugna said he expects the lower chamber to give its final approval on the measure next Monday, September 11.

“Its approval on second reading nears Congress in our goal not to burden our frontliner (barangay officials) on the campaign against illegal drugs on the ground level,” Tugna added.

Earlier, the House all-party caucus agreed to postpone it again to May 2018 to supposedly synchronize the barangay elections with the proposed plebiscite for Charter change and the Bangsamoro Basic Law.