OCT 28 BARANGAY ELECTION

WHAT is it about barangay posts that made some 29, 427 individuals file their candidacies for punong barangay and kagawad in over 1,346 barangays in 48 towns and two cities in Pangasinan for the village poll on October 28?

The number, based on records of the Provincial Elections Office after the close of filing of certificates of candidacy at 5:00 p.m of Oct. 17 is deemed unprecedented.

And when some candidates were asked about their motivation to run for a post, their responses are mostly uniform clichés  – to serve my barangay with honest intentions.

Curiously, not many are talking about are the opportunities presented by the hundreds of thousands that internal revenue allotment that barangays have access to annually.

COMELEC REVIEW

As gleaned from the records, there are 3,280 candidates for punong barangay and 26, 147 for barangay kagawad in the entire province.

Provincial election supervisor Marino Salas said that Comelec will still review the list of candidates to make sure that no three-termer incumbent official and unregistered voter will be allowed to run in the election.

He admitted that in the previous barangay elections some three- termer incumbent officials were able to outwit the Comelec as they were elected for a fourth consecutive term.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had distributed the lists of incumbent officials who are on their last term to the election offices in the province.

All the registered candidates are now on the campaign trail as campaign period in this barangay election started October 18.

Salas reminded the candidates to be mindful and observe the election laws particularly on the authorized sized of campaign posters – 3 feet by 2 feet maximum.

At the same time, Salas warned the candidates that giving of any kind of goods during the campaign is considered vote- buying.

“Anyone caught or complained of violating the law will face charges,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the Dagupan City election office will hold barangay assemblies in each of the 31 barangays of the city during the campaign period.

Lawyer Ericson Oganiza, city election officer, said that the assembly will be facilitated by his office with the DILG in Dagupan City.

The assemblies will serve as the miting de avance for the candidates.

But they still need to secure a permit from the mayor’s office to avoid being charged of illegal assembly and enable the PNP to deploy security, according to the Comelec rules.

DAGUPAN BETS

A total of 85 individuals filed their COC in Dagupan for barangay captain and 838 for barangay kagawad.

Oganiza also encouraged the candidates to focus on presenting their platforms for governance instead of insulting their fellow candidates.

Salas also asked incumbent town and city officials not to meddle in the barangay elections since barangay election is non- partisan. (with by Hilda Martin Austria) 

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