A push in Congress to extend the terms of the newly elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to five years and new vehicles for all 61 barangay offices in Bacolod City were announced Friday night, November 10.
The announcements were made at the mass oath taking of the majority of the 976 newly elected barangay and and SK officials of Bacolod City administered by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City.
Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) announced the push in Congress to extend the terms office of the newly elected barangay officials.
The next barangay and SK elections are supposed to be held in December 2025.
Paduano said since the Supreme Court has ruled that the postponement of the barangay elections is unconstitutional, they are proposing that the terms of office be extended through an amendment of the Local Government Code.
Congress does not have the power to postpone the elections but it has the power to extend terms of office, which he supports, Benitez said.
Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya also announced that funds have been sourced from the national government to provide the barangay offices in Bacolod City with new vehicles.
The city government will extend its assistance to all of the newly elected barangay and SK officials because the people have spoken and it is his duty as a public servant to respect that, Benitez assured.
“You are the frontliners of our public service, it is important that you perform and deliver,” he said.
“The city cannot function without the support and assistance of all the barangay officials, your success will be our success,” Benitez added.
He called on the newly elected barangay and SK officials to be partners and stakeholders in the journey of Bacolod into a super city, which they all can achieve through hard work.
“Together we can make our dreams a reality,” he said.
The city government will set a code of good governance for the barangays, and will ensure that each barangay will submit their required reports to the Commission on Audit on time, Benitez also said.
Benitez said he has asked the City Accounting Office to extend its software program to the barangays so they will be computerized at their level.
“We are moving and transforming to digitalization, we want a digital platform to govern our public service that we will do together,” he said.
Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran along with Benitez, Gasataya and Paduano also congratulated the newly elected barangay and SK officials on their victories.*