I don’t agree

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

A well-known Comelec officer of the Fourth District of Pangasinan who asked not to be named said “the breeding ground of corruption is the Sanggunian Kabataan because they are mastering the art of making vouchers (money claims). As we all could see with our naked eyes that no concrete evidence being undertaken by these SK officials especially for the benefits of sports and youth development in the barangay level.  This group should be abolished by the Congress because most of them are not doing anything and receiving honorarium at the expense of taxpayers’ money.” They are inutile,” he added.

That statement drew the ire of many barangay folks (including this writer) especially the barangay and SK official wannabes and also Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, the father of local government code.

But I believe him. I’m a sports-minded person and a keen observer of games. Twice I became the provincial sports coordinator of our province and soon to be thrice— met many town and city sports officials, then and until now. I observed that only few of these sports officials are really serious about their jobs. They are little-minded people waiting for their honoraria. I am inclined I say they have no conscience at all. They are advertently neglecting their responsibilities like the sports development which is one of their top three assignments. Short to say mukha silang pera, ‘ika nga.

Given this backdrop, the new bill authored by Cebu Rep. Eduardo Guillas seeking to defer anew the barangay and (SK) elections to the second Monday of October next year, originally set for October 3, 2005 but reset to October 29 this year.

He said the government could ill afford to spend P3.3 billion, has serious implications.

Like the local elections, the village polls is a three-year terms of office and supposed to be held last October 3, 2005 but the Congress postponed it to October 29 this year, four months from now.

Another postponement is also tantamount to another corruption especially among the present crop of SK officials.

Countering Guillas move, Pimentel said it is bad argument to postpone an election by raising the issue of funding because the administration keeps on saying that the inflow of government revenues has substantially improved due to the implementation of tax reforms.

“The people should not be deprived of their right to pass judgment on barangay and SK officials and to elect their replacements. The incumbent barangay and SK officials have overstayed their three-year terms of office and so it’s unfair for the people to allow barangay officials to stay in office without the benefit of an election,” Pimentel said.

During the last May 14 polls some of these SK top honchos run for higher political positions thinking that they can fool again the people. They were wrong. They were clobbered like what happened in Dagupan City.

Buti nga sa kanila. I believe these greedy power people learned a big lesson. Maybe they forgot the adage that goes “lightnings don’t strike twice on the same spot.”

I wish and hope the barangay and SK elections should be held as scheduled. It’s not nice to allow bad barangay and SK officials to have another term while the good ones deserve renewal of their mandate and the new aspirants should be given a fair chance.

Change for the better,” that’s my unsolicited advice.”

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/)

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