Jinggoy urges Senate leaders to conduct hearing on bills postponing 2022 barangay polls

Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday urged the Senate leadership to direct the immediate conduct of hearings on bills seeking to postpone the 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in December.

During the day's Senate plenary session, Estrada mentioned that he has filed a bill on the postponement of the 2022 BSKE but only the measure filed by Senator Francis Escudero has been referred to the Senate electoral reforms and people's participation committee.

"May I suggest that the chairman of the appropriate committee where it (bill) was referred to act on this bill immediately since the Comelec (Commission on Elections) will have time to prepare," Estrada said.

"If we approve of the postponement of the barangay and SK elections, then the Comelec will not prepare anything, but if we disapprove, and if we continue to have the barangay and SK elections, then the Comelec has time to prepare," he added.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva expressed support to Estrada's manifestation and informed the body that the Senate electoral reforms and people's participation committee has already been organized with Senator Imee Marcos as its chairperson.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri then mentioned that Marcos is currently dealing with COVID-19.

"I believe the problem is that the chairperson has COVID-19," Zubiri said.

At this point, Estrada asked if Marcos can hold a virtual hearing to tackle the measures or if one of the panel's vice-chairperson can preside over.

Zubiri responded to Estrada, saying he will make the appeal and discuss this suggestion to Marcos.

The Senate president also expressed support to Estrada's suggestion, mentioning a recent discussion with some Commission on Audit officials where the possibility of saving around P8 billion was raised.

"I join my colleague from San Juan, Senator Jinggoy Estrada in finding out the sense of the Senate and the House," he said.

"Because we discussed briefly yesterday...it was with COA, and we asked together with Senator Nancy Binay kung P8 billion for example, 'yung gagastusin sa eleksyon sa barangay, if we do not mention early enough to the Comelec that it will be postponed, then they will utilize the budget and the budget will be utilized for preparations for this year. Sayang naman," he added.

Zubiri further emphasized that if the Comelec will be advised early about Congress' decision, then there will be bigger savings that will be kept in the national treasury as these amounts will not be downloaded for the poll body's preparations.

"So the earlier we can make a decision, the earlier we also save money for the national treasury for other government programs. I support the move of Senator Jinggoy that we discuss this as soon as possible at the committee level," Zubiri ended.

Earlier this week, Comelec chairperson George Garcia appealed to Congress to reveal their decision whether to postpone the 2022 BSKE or not by the end of August.

Garcia recently disclosed that they are about to start the procurements for the 2022 BSKE as the poll body is already "in full swing" for their preparations.

He said that of the P8.4-billion budget for the BSKE, around P5 million were already spent for the voter registration and the payment of workers who worked overtime for the BSKE preparations.

Although they will start the procurement for 2022 BSKE amid calls to defer it anew, the Comelec chairman said that they will spend the funds wisely.

Some lawmakers, including Speaker Martin Romualdez, back the postponement of the barangay and SK polls.

Romualdez earlier said the government could save P8.141 billion if the BSKE will be deferred.

At least two bills have been filed in the Senate seeking the postponement of the 2022 BSKE.

Zubiri earlier said he is willing to postpone for a year the BSKE polls in December, citing the same reason as Romualdez.

Should the elections be deferred, this will mark the fourth time that Congress postponed the barangay and SK elections since October 2016.

The October 2016 barangay and SK polls were postponed to October 2017. From then, it was postponed to May 2018. It was again reset to May 2022.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) and National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) earlier aired their opposition against proposals to postpone the 2022 Barangay and SK elections, saying it is high time for the electorate to assess their local leaders. — RSJ, GMA News