MANILA, Philippines – After 5 years and two postponements, it’s all systems go for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday, May 14.
More than one million Filipinos filed their certificates of candidacy for positions in more than 42,000 barangays across the country. About 684,785 candidates are running for barangay seats, while 386,206 are running for SK posts.
Monday’s elections will be the first in 5 years for the barangays and in 8 years for the SK after several laws were passed to postpone the polls. Since 2013, village officials have overstayed, while the youth posts have been vacant since 2013, when the terms of SK members elected in 2010 ended.
The 2018 elections will test the implementation of the anti-dynasty provision – the first in the country – found in Republic Act 10742 or the SK Reform Act. (OPINION: Practical questions on the Sangguniang Kabataan law’s anti-dynasty provision)
According to the Local Government Code, the barangay is the basic political unit in the Philippines which “serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community, and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized, and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled.”
The same code also states that the SK is a council that is supposed to initiate programs and fund-raising activities for the youth in the barangay, among other things.
Here are some of the highlights from the election period which started last April 14, in photos:
– Rappler.com
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