Barangay Election Guidelines

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday that the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls set for October 25, 2010, will be back to manual balloting.

For the October 25 elections, we will use the traditional ballots where the voters manually write the names of the candidates they want to vote for as in previous elections, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said.

He said the Comelec en banc decided to revert to the traditional manual type of ballot instead of using a pre-printed ballot due to time constraints.

“The proposal to do the shading of names was discussed. However, there is no time to do that since you have to verify the names of the candidates, print out the ballots… it would be difficult,” said Larrazabal.

The Comelec also announced that the filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) for the October 25 polls will be from October 1 to October 13, 2010.

Section 7 of the Barangay Election Act of 1982 states that “no person shall be eligible to be a barangay official unless he is a citizen of the Philippines; a registered voter and actual resident of the barangay for at least six months immediately preceding the election; is able to read and write; is at least 21 years of age on the date of the election; and who is not otherwise disqualified by law.”

Filing will be done with the Secretary of the Barangay Council who, in turn, has the ministerial duty to receive and acknowledge the CoC filed.

The campaign period, however, will be from October 14 to October 23 for both for barangay and SK candidates.

Comelec Resolution 9019 also set the election period beginning on September 25 until November 10.

Prohibited acts during the election period include alteration of precincts, establishment of new precincts, illegal release of prisoners, carrying of firearms, maintenance of private armies, transfer of public employees, suspension of public officials, and the use of personnel security or bodyguards.

Barangay at SK balik sa manu- manong bilangan

Balik sa manu-mano ang halalan sa Oktubre 25 para sa Barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections matapos aprubahan ng poll en banc ang paggamit ng ‘manual ballot’ sa halip na pre-printed ballots na ginamit noong May 10 elections.


Naniniwala si Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal na mas paborable sa mga botante ang paggamit ng tradisyunal na ballot-type dahil ito na ang nakagawian.


Sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na magbibilog sa “bilog na hugis itlog” ang mga botante, sa halip manu-manong isusulat sa balota ang pangalan ng kanilang napupusuang kandidato.


“It’s lime the old times. In fact mas kapado ito ng mga botante since once pa lang naman tayo gumamit ng pre-printed ballots dahil sa automation. Now balik tayo sa dati,” ani Larrazabal.


Aminado ang Comelec na kinapos na sila ng panahon para itulak ang paggamit ng pre-shaded ballots dahil kailangan pang i-verify ang pangalan ng mga kandidato bago iimprenta ang mga balota.


“Mas madali na ito. Ang iimprenta na lang sa balota ay ‘yung positions at kung ilan ang elective positions. Kasi kapag pre-printed ballot ang gagamitin natin, of course kailangan maaga ‘yung filing ng certificate of candidacy (COC) para may idea tayo kung sino ang mga tatakbo. Kung ganito ang gagawin natin, kapos na kapos na tayo sa oras because next month na ‘yung election day,” giit ng opisyal.


Samantala, iginagayak na rin ng komisyon ang pagpapatawag ng bidding para sa supplies na gagamitin sa Oktubre 25.

Palace shuns Congress allies’ push for polls’ deferment

By Aytch S. de la Cruz

08/24/2010

Malacañang yesterday shunned reports that the allies of President Aquino are trying to pass an enabling law that would postpone the simultaneous barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections scheduled this October to effectuate their plans of realigning the budget for the polls to their pork allocations.

Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office reiterated that the President’s position has been very clear right from the start, that he wants the poll exercises to push through.

Coloma said Aquino is in constant consultations with his allies in Congress and that he listens to their opinions often, but he has no plans of changing his position on the matter.

He further said the Palace has already been informed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) that the government is prepared enough to hold these polls in October.

“The decision of the President about it (barangay and SK polls) is clear and it was also referred to the Department of Budget and Management. I believe the amount involved is approximately P3 billion. The DBM has already determined that the funds are available and the agencies of the government, such as the Comelec, are prepared to have these scheduled elections take place,” Coloma said.

He said the Palace respects the ongoing debates at the Senate as well as in the House of Representatives in relation to the proposals for the deferment of the holding of the barangay and SK polls.

“I think the objective of our Senate and the House in pushing through with public hearings is just to get a broader public opinion regarding the issue as a guide for possible actions on this. But as far as our President and the Executive branch is concerned, our positions remain that the elections should be held as scheduled and this is in October, and we have already determined that the Comelec and the other agencies are prepared to conduct these elections,” Coloma stressed.

Earlier, Aquino announced that he will convene a Legislative and Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting for the two co-equal branches of government to iron out the issue.

But Coloma and Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad have said no specific date has been scheduled yet for the Ledac meeting.

‘NoEl’ sa barangay at SK ipipilit sa Kamara

Inaasahang igigiit ngayong araw ng Lunes ng mga barangay officials sa buong bansa ang pagpapaliban ng barangay at Sangguniang Kabayaan (SK) elections na nakatakdang idaos sa Oktubre 25, 2010 alinsunod sa itinatakda ng batas.
Ito ang inaasahan sa muling pagdinig ng House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso kaugnay sa hiling ng may 42,000 barangay officials at ng iba pang kongresista na gawin na lamang ang barangay at SK elections sa taong 2012.
Nabatid na tulad ng nakalipas na Lunes ay dadagsain ng mga local officials ang pagdinig upang ipanawagan sa administrasyong Aquino na pakinggan ang kanilang kahilingan na ipagpaliban ang naturang eleksyon.
Suportado ng Liga ng mga Barangay at League of Cities ang isinusulong din ng ilang mambabatas na pagpapaliban sa barangay at SK elections dahilan sa kawalan ng sapat na pondo umano para dito.
Sinabi ni Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatcha lian, ng League of Cities, na isinusulong ng mga alkalde sa buong bansa na gawin ang eleksyon sa susunod na taon o sa taong 2011.
Habang sa panig naman ni Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri, national president ng Liga ng Barangay, nais ng mga itong sa taong 2012 ang barangay at SK elections upang maipagpatuloy umano ng mga ito ang kanilang serbisyo sa kanilang nasasakupan.

barangay ipilan

Twitter Tweets

Congress will once again throw money into a problem the clear preventive solutions to which neither the executive nor the legislature can’t seem to plan well ahead, let alone implement effectively.

From the much-abused road users’ tax, they are going to pull out ten billion pesos as an Ondoy rehabilitation fund. The senators try to look better. They are pledging one million from their 200 million pesos annual pork barrel, to share with the flood victims. That’s 22 million pesos, because there are twenty-three who avail of their allocation (assuming DBM releases to them) and one who eschews the availment.

From a reader comes this appreciative note: “Thank you….thank you…. Congress………..for donating our money, to us.”

* * *

Ah! The wonders of technology. Imagine how it would have been if we did not have cell phones? With landlines rendered useless by the floods, cellphones were the only link to media offices that immediately mobilized aid and served as message centers to whoever in government was not too stunned to effectively discharge their duties.

And the photos those cellphones took of the fast unfolding tragedy were awesome. Once uploaded into the internet, they gave us dramatic photos of the scary events brought by Ondoy and climate change.

As did using their Twitter to express thoughts as the tragedy struck. Several political personalities and controversial celebrities are parodied in these posted tweets (fictional, of course) so we would have momentary emotional relief from the anguish of last weekend and the slow move-on this week:

GMA: “Sabi n’yo knee-deep lang ang baha? It was chest-deep! Lumusong pa naman ako. Punyeta!”

Sen. Mar Roxas: “Ramdam ko kayo. Promise. Totoo na ‘yan”.

Sen. Manny Villar: “I am worried about C-5 Road”.

Sen. Noynoy Aquino: “Will have to meet with the Pink Sisters before deciding on which evacuation center to visit first”.

And Cebu congressman Tony Cuenco follows with his own tweet: “Half of the members of the lower House will join Noynoy’s planned relief drive”.

To which Gibo Teodoro says: “Hoy, pinsan, wala namang agawan ng trabaho!”

Meanwhile, Sen. Ping Lacson tweets: “God save the Philippines from Typhoon Ondoy, este, Pepeng na pala”.

But Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is unimpressed: “Baka akalo mo porke’t bumagyo, nakalimot na ako. Hindi pa tayo tyapos, Mr. Panfilo Morena Lacson. Galit pa rin si Daddy sa ‘yo”.

Bro. Mike Velarde enthuses: “Baligtarin ninyo ang inyong mga payong! Tikatik…ayyy… umaapaw na…ang baha!”


Pampanga Rep. Mike Arroyo: “My advice sa mga nawalan ng bahay at gamit is this: Pakasal kayo ulit, para may mag-regalo sa inyo. Tingnan n’yo ako, sa California pa nakabili ng bahay.”

Successor of Ka Roger Rosal: “Basang-basa dahil sa ulan at nanginginig sa sobrang lamig. Ka Joma, kung nababasa mo ito, magli-leave muna ako for two weeks”.

Vicki Belo: “Just got home after driving around the metro with Adel. Ang daming nagkalat na…plastic”.

And followed Kris Aquino: “Gosh, did you see Marikina and Cainta? I swear…kailangan niila ng make-over!”

Boy Abunda: “By Calayan…please.”

Anabelle Rama: “Haaay naku, Dong. May naga-text kanako…Kasabwat daw ni Ondoy si Wilma Galvante!”

And Senadora Loren Legarda: “What have I been saying all along? Climate change ‘yan. You’re not listening kasi, eh”.

To which Sen. Chiz Escudero suggests: “Timing kayo, ma’am. Takbo na, ma’am. Gusto mo ikaw ang presidente?”

But for broadcast celebrity Ms. Korina Sanchez: “Rain or shine…tuloy ang kasal!”

Joke, joke, joke…

Villar Vs. Noynoy

Limang araw makaraan ang pananalasa ni Ondoy, marami pa rin lugar ang lubog sa tubig-baha at hindi nabibigyan-pansin ng gobyerno, katulad ng isang kaso sa Biñan Laguna -- sa Tulay Bato, San Antonio, aba’y lampas-tao ang tubig sa loob ng mga kabahayan, puro putik at sira ang lahat ng kagamitan ng mga residente.

Ang pinakamasakit, walang tulong na natatanggap mula sa local government official, maging sa national level. Nasaan ang kanilang alkalde, gobernador, sampu ng mga konsehal at bokal ngayong kalamidad gayong sa panahon ng kampanya, ito’y kayang pasukin ang makipot at kaloob-looban ng mga barangay para makipagkamay?

Hindi natin babanggitin kung sinong mga Pontio Pilato at Herodes ang nagkalat sa Biñan Laguna subalit nakakalungkot isiping, walang inatupag ang mga local officials kundi banta yan ang relief goods na nagmumula sa national government.

Ang nakakahiya sa lahat, aba’y nakikipag-agawan at walang ginawa ang mga kumag kundi bantayan ang release ng calamity fund -- ito’y text messages mula sa isang residente ng Biñan, Laguna. Kalokohan kung gagawa lamang ng kuwento ang texter lalo pa’t lubog ang kanilang bahay. Kaya’t pakatandaan ng mga taga-Biñan, huwag nang iboboto sa 2010 kung sinuman sa mga local officials ang nagpabaya!

***
Napag-usapan ang text ng isang taga-Biñan Laguna, aba’y rumaragasa rin ang bakbakan sa text brigade ng dalawang presidentiables, sa pagitan nina Manny Villar at Noynoy Aquino habang kainitan ang relief at rescue operation, simula Linggo hanggang kahapon.

Hindi lang malinaw kung pinag-away sina Manny at Noynoy subalit nagsasagutan sa text ang kampo ng dalawang nangangarap maging Pangulo. Ang nakakadismaya lang, kung ipinang-donate sa Ondoy victims ang ginastos sa text brigade at alokasyon sa dirty tricks department, ‘di sana natugunan ang pagkauhaw ng mga nasa evacuation center, isang halimbawa ang mensaheng “Libre ang donasyon sa mga biktima ni Ondoy, libre ang media co verage ng ABS CBN at Inquirer. Iyan si Noynoy at Kris a yaw bumunot ng pera pero makapal manghuthot. Kung buhay pa si Tita Cory, wala rin siyang magagawa sa spoiled brats niya. Buti pa si Villar, hindi makapal kasi humugot talaga sa sariling bulsa” -- ito’y mula 09052197023.

Makalipas ang ilang oras, animo’y sumagot ang kampo ni Noynoy, ganito ang mensahe “Tumulong nga si Villar sa mga binaha pero bakit kailangan pa niya ilagay ang pangalan niya sa kapirasong styrofoam na pinaglagyan ng pansit. ‘Di na tulong iyan kundi pangangampanya. Akala niya magogoyo pa niya ang mga tao! Kay Noynoy tayo” -- ito’y mula sa 09052197022.

Ang ipinagtataka lamang ng Spy, halos isang numero ang pagitan o pagkakaiba sa dalawang mensaheng kumalat kaya’t malaking katanungan kung kaninong kampo ang nagpapakawala ng demolition job.

At noong nakaraang Martes, meron panibagong text brigade laban kay Noynoy, maging sa email, halos dalawang araw binabakbakan ang utol ni Kris Aquino, pinakahuling alegasyong ‘Big Fat lie’, gamit ang pangalang Juan Tamad at konsensiyangba yan@yahoo.com bilang email address -- ito’y patungkol sa pagkansela ng Mindanao trip ni Noynoy para damayan ang Ondoy victims subalit pakikipag-meeting kay Erapsky ang pinuntahan pagbalik ng Maynila at mismong si Noynoy ang ‘nag-confirm’ sa meeting.

Halos iisa ang laman ng email, gamit ang ilang news item at nakapalaman ang mensaheng “Sabi ni Noynoy babalik daw siya ng Maynila para tumulong sa relief operation, iyun pala secret meeting kay Erap. Si Kris humihingi ng konting sakripisyo sa bayan pero suot matching Channel earrings and pearl necklace and diamond studded Philip stein watch sa TV. Ganyan ba ang mga Aquino makapal?” mula sa 09052197023. Take note: Walong buwan pa bago ang May 10, 2010 kaya’t mahaba-haba pang bateryahan sa text iyan! (mgakurimaw.blogspot.com)