Abalos to new barangay SK officers: Serve the public

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos is urging elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to embody public service values as they embark on their new term.

Abalos said officials need to exhibit the necessary qualities of a good leader in the exercise of their functions.

“Whatever is right, we should do that. Leadership is not about power. Leadership is about responsibility. It is about service to the public,” he told the new officials.

The head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) led the mass oath-taking ceremony of newly elected barangay officials in Quirino Province on Saturday.

“For all newly elected officials, we need each of you to be a leader who has integrity, who has vision, and one who inspires and unites the community,” Abalos said.

The DILG chief noted that the barangay system is unique to the Philippines and the unit plays an indispensable role in delivering efficient governance and delivery of basic services for communities.

Barangay officials face a multitude of challenges, including nutrition and health services for mothers and their children, accessible education and full support for the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that all barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSKE) election winners had been proclaimed just days after the local polls.

The newly elected officials have been given a three-week transition period to assume office and have barangay properties turned over to the new officers.

More local government officials are facing possible criminal charges for interfering in the conduct of the recently held BSKE.

“Tomorrow I have called on a meeting where we will finalize the list of those we think have interfered in our elections,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in a radio interview.

“We have to take this seriously especially because it might be repeated in the next elections,” he added.

Among those to be included in the list, Garcia said, are those who threatened or tried to influence teachers who served as poll workers in the last elections.

He said the Comelec will no longer pursue complaints against teachers, but they will definitely run after erring local government officials.

On the day of the elections, Garcia said, the commission received reports of at least 10 local government officials who interfered or tried to influence the results of the BSKE.

“Interfering especially by an incumbent official who did not run, that is what’s making our elections chaotic,” Garcia pointed out.

Garcia previously reported that Comelec will file a complaint against a mayor from Bicol who prevented teachers from canvassing and proclaiming the BSKE winners.

Vice President Sara Duterte welcomed the Comelec’s decision to refrain from filing criminal charges against teachers who backed out of electoral board duties due to threats during the BSKE.

“DepEd (Department of Education) would like to thank the commission for recognizing the various threats that confronted them during this time,” she said.

Around 500,000 public school teachers served as poll workers during the BSKE on Oct. 30. Some 2,500 teachers backed out in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, most citing threats and security concerns in their respective areas.