Tolentino supports the postponement of the 2022 barangay and SK elections

Sen. Francis Tolentino on Wednesday, 14 September 2022, expressed his support for the postponement of the December 2022 barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections.

The postponement is embodied in Senate Bill No. 1306 under Committee Report No. 4 of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation, which Sen. Imee Marcos currently chairs.

Chairman Imee Marcos sponsored the measure, stating that the postponement would move the barangay and SK elections to the first week of December 2023, effectively extending the terms of the officials by another year.

Tolentino, the Vice Chairperson of the said Committee, stressed that his reason for supporting the postponement is the urgent need to amend the decades-old Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act No. 7160. The LGC was enacted in 1991.

As the former Mayor of Tagaytay City for 3 consecutive terms, Tolentino stated that the amendment of the LGC would require a substantial amendment of the functions of the officials enumerated therein. These newfound functions would result in the efficient and effective implementation of the Mandanas Ruling.

As confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2019, the Mandanas Ruling is projected to increase the local government units' share in the national taxes by 27.61%.

According to Tolentino, "I am in favor of a one-year postponement of the barangay [and sangguniang] kabataan elections because it will pave the way for the revision, the long awaited revision of the Local Government Code. And Mr. President, the time of one year would probably be sufficient enough for our barangay officials to lead in the grassroots level, the post-pandemic economic recovery envisioned by our President in the national government."