MANILA, Philippines - Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections are being used by political dynasties to perpetuate their power, a Church-based poll watchdog said on Tuesday.
Henrietta de Villa, chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, said the barangay and SK elections are also being used as entry points by political families.
De Villa said that many elected officials are using the SK polls to allow their children and other relatives to enter politics.
She also said it is high time for legislators to revisit and review the SK law if it has been effective in creating new breed of local officials or just a way to teach the young politicians to be corrupt.
"Sa SK, dito nagsisimula ang magkakamag-anak incorporated. I’m really sad to see that SK as an entry point for political dynasties, yan ang ginagawa ng mga political dynasties. Yung mga anak nila
ipinapasok nila dyan parang ginagawa ng base to go to a higher position when they are of age. That is not supposed to be. Dapat this is a practicing ground for an authentic political leaders to emerge.
"Ang nangyayari ngayon kapag may kampanya minsan mayroon ng vote buying may be not a proportion like they do sa national election, pero nag-start na doing favors, tsaka political muscle din ang ini-exert
which is bad, parang we are starting of these young people, the future leaders of the land, in already very anomalous way," she told Church-run Radyo Veritas.
She added that the barangay elections have been much-politicized with the officials only being subservient to the sitting mayor or governor.
With this in mind, De Villa said the PPCRV will launch a massive voters' education campaign in every barangay in the country to inform local officials the importance of their rights and responsibilities.
"Ang importante dyan para sa amin ang voters education, kasi I think sa atin dyan sa mga tao sa base, they have not realized the importance of the barangay, their rights and responsibilities sa barangay
nila.
"Tsaka ang voters education namin will also emphasized on how the barangays have been politicized so much, sad to say many of them are parang acting as ward leaders of elected local government officials which should not be, they should be non partisan. They should be for the common good of their barangays," she added.