Press Release
August 24, 2011

Sen. Bongbong Marcos supports 5 year term for Barangay officials

Saying three years is too short for a good local government official, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., is supporting the proposal of the Liga ng mga Barangay for a five-year term for all barangay officials so they can institute vital governance reforms in the community, promote accountability and transparency in barangay leadership.

Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, delivered the keynote address at the Liga ng mga Barangay Nueva Ecija Chapter on its first Provincial Summit held last Thursday, August 18, 2011 at Subic International Hotel, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Olongapo City.

"Kung ito ang napagkaisahan ng Liga ng mga Barangay sa buong Pilipinas, ako po ay susuporta sa inyong hinihiling na bigyan kayo ng 5 years term of office. Sa aking paningin ito ay tama at dapat nating ipaglaban. Palagay ko kailangan natin gumawa ng pagpupulong para maiharap natin sa national government yung ating hinihinging 5 years." Marcos said in his speech.

Speaking before the estimated 900 members of Liga ng mga Barangay, Marcos added that three years is too short for a good official and too long for a bad one so we have to find a good compromise to introduce much needed reforms in the community, promote accountable and transparent in leadership.

"Mahalaga na maging regular ang pagtatalaga ng mga barangay officials para yun accountability ng ating mga opisyal ay maliwanag sa taumbayan. Dahil kapag mahusay ang kanilang trabaho, siguradong iboboto silang muli ng mga mamamayan." Marcos said.

The Barangay is the basic political unit of government which serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects and activities in the community and in the forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized and where petty dispute can be amicably settled.

Last year, Marcos had recommended that the October 25, 2010 Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan elections be postponed to October 2011 saying that holding the Barangay and SK elections on 2010 would mean another gargantuan expenditure by the government over and above the expenses recently incurred the May 2010 national and local polls. In addition, the country had not get recovered from the adverse effects of the highly politicized 2010 elections.

Despite Malacanang's decision to proceed with the holding of the barangay elections on October 25, 2010, the Marcos committee continued to conduct public hearings, and based on his continuing consultations with local government leaders, the senator said that the general consensus was for the postponement of the said polls.

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