Govs back barangay polls’ deferment

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) has passed a resolution supporting the postponement of next year’s barangay elections, a proposal also backed by Congress leaders to save the financially distressed government some P2 billion.

Gov. Mark Lapid said the resolution was passed during the second annual LPP meeting in Manila.

He said the resolution, authored by Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, got the full backing of LPP members.

During his recent visit to this province, Sen. Manny Villar, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said the leadership of both the Senate and the House has expressed support for the proposed deferment of next year’s barangay polls which he said normally entail about P2 billion.

Villar said the postponement of the barangay elections needs the approval of both houses of Congress.

"I hope the public would understand why this has to be done. I plead to them to also help President Arroyo so our country would be spared from economic collapse," Lapid said.

Meanwhile, the LPP also passed a resolution objecting to the proposed cut in the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRAs) of local government units, which it described as "unlawful and unconstitutional."

In another development, Lapid said his province needs all the help it can get from different sources after a post-calamity report showed that the recent heavy floods left P1.04 billion in losses in agriculture and fisheries.

Provincial agriculturist Mario Mangiliman reported to Lapid that the recent floods affected 20 of Pampanga’s 21 towns, destroying crops, mostly palay, worth P158.069 million and fishery stocks worth P882.386 million.