Evasco: Brgy election this May is ‘uncertain’

TAGBILARAN CITY — Will the barangay election slated in May this year pushes through? Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., a Boholano, answered by expressing doubts about it.

The barangay election is "ambivalent," meaning it's uncertain, Evasco told barangay chairpersons during the annual Bohol Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) Congress held at Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City on January 31.

The Bohol LnB, headed by its president Romulo Cepedoza of Barangay Magtangtang in Danao town, invited Evasco as the keynote speaker of the event that opened on Wednesday.

Governor Edgar Chatto, acting Vice-Gov. Benjie Arcamo, and Tagbilaran City Mayor Baba Yap were among those who attended the LnB Congress.

Bohol Representatives Rene Relampagos (1st district), Aris Aumentado (2nd district) and Arthur Yap (3rd district) were represented by Provincial Board Members Ricky Mas a mayor, Gloria Gem en tiza, and Rene Espinoza, respectively.

Bohol has a total of 1,109 barangays, and about 80 to 90 percent of the chairpersons attended the Congress, an insider estimated.

Evasco said there are moves that the referendum of the charter-change pushing for federalism be included in the barangay election this coming May for cost consideration.

He said however that the gargantuan task of amending the Constitution would not be finished by that time or within three months, and neither the debate thru the questionable Constituent Assembly hatched by the Lower House. Hence, barangay chairmen may still be in holdover capacity, he said.

Because of this likely scenario he cast doubts that the barangay election would be held this time, as this might be postponed again for the second time, after it was moved from its supposed schedule in October 2016.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte recently issued an executive order creating the 23-man consultative commission that would serve as an advisory body to the charter-change for federalism.

Evasco however warned that, even if the barangay officials would be in a holdover capacity, they may still be kicked out by the Office of the President if found peddling illegal drugs and involved in graft and corruption. "If you remain in your posts, be good and work for your respective constituents," he told them.

Being a barangay chairperson is not easy job because almost all three basic functions of the government are lumped in them. A barangay head executes the law, presides over barangay legislation, and presides over the barangay judiciary.

"All these responsibilities are not even given to other local executives, including the president," Evasco added.