Be honest, Marcos tells BSK winners; over 98 percent proclaimed

MANILA, Philippines — With almost all of the winning candidates in Monday’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) already proclaimed, President Marcos yesterday reminded them of their duty to prioritize the welfare of their constituents and to be always honest.

“This is a fresh opportunity to be of service to the Filipinos and to our nation wholeheartedly and beyond our means. Let us be honest at all times. Let us always prioritize the plight of our people because they are the reason why we want to serve the nation,” the President said in a video message.

Marcos again called for unity, saying being united is key to achieving peace and prosperity.

“Through our unity and collective efforts, we can surely push for a new Philippines, where every barangay is peaceful, happy and prosperous, where unity, understanding and development prevail and where every citizen is proud to be Filipino,” he said.

“We have witnessed a successful and peaceful barangay election and Sangguniang Kabataan election... Thank you to those who helped,” Marcos said, citing a report from Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia.

Less than 24 hours after the closing of polling precincts, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported the proclamation of almost all of the winning BSKE candidates.

Garcia said that as of 2:35 p.m. yesterday, 99.47 of the election results from more than 40,000 barangays nationwide had been canvassed.

He also noted that 97.44 percent of the winning candidates nationwide have already been proclaimed.

“We are nearly completed with our canvassing with only about one percent of votes nationwide still uncanvassed, while 2.3 percent of winners are yet to be proclaimed,” Garcia said at a press conference.

He explained that the election officers were unable to hold proclamations in some barangays because some of the candidates got equal number of votes.

In fact, in some cases –in Manila and Northern Mindanao – the Comelec had to resort to coin toss to resolve draws.

“We instructed the regional directors to proclaim the winners at all cost, hindi puwdeng patagalin at ipagpaliban (there can’t be delays and postponements),” he said.

The poll chief said the Comelec was expected to proclaim the winning candidates yesterday in the five barangays in Lanao del Sur and Calbayog City, Samar where elections were held just yesterday.

He said the delay in the delivery of election paraphernalia prompted the re-scheduling of the polls in the five barangays.

The poll chief said unproclaimed winners were those with pending disqualification cases.

Disqualification

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangcon said that of the 256 BSKE candidates with pending disqualification cases, 59 won and 67 lost in last Monday’s polls.

While violent incidents were reported in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Comelec described the elections as “generally peaceful.”

The poll body was expecting about 70 to 75 percent voter turnout for the village and youth council polls, higher than the 70 to 71 percent turnout recorded five years ago.

Sen. Bong Go, meanwhile, urged winning candidates “to take your duties to heart and prioritize the welfare of the most needy.”

“The outcomes of the BSKE are a direct reflection of the people’s voice. It’s imperative that we, as a nation, respect and uphold the choices made by our fellow Filipinos,” Go said.

He emphasized the importance of selecting candidates with integrity, competence and a genuine desire to serve their communities, especially the underprivileged and those in need most of government attention.

Go also reminded the newly elected barangay and SK officials that “the public has placed their trust in you.”

“I hope that you will always prioritize the welfare of your constituents, especially the poor, the hopeless and the helpless because this is the essence of public service. Remember that public office is a public trust. Do not waste the opportunity and the privilege to be able to serve your fellow Filipinos,” Go added.

Go is author of Senate Bill No. 197, or the Magna Carta for Barangays, which entitles barangay officials to benefits enjoyed by regular government employees. It also aims to allocate sufficient resources for the improvement of public services at the barangay level.

Reacting to outcomes of barangay polls in many areas, Novaliches Bishop Roberto Gaa said voters appeared to have made their choices of candidates based on popularity and family relations instead of track record.

“But as of now, I think our voters are not yet that mature because they are still swayed by popularity. We do not look much at the track record,” Gaa said in an interview over the Church-run Radio Veritas.

“For me, track record is still the most important factor that voters should look for when selecting their candidates because it shows how he will serve” his or her constituents, he added. — Mayen Jaymalin, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan