Tolentino urges enough transition time for upcoming BSKE winners

MANILA -- Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino urged the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to conduct proper transition for the new Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials especially on information dissemination on the latest Supreme Court ruling that said winners will immediately assume position.

In his weekly radio program DZRH on Saturday, Sen. Tol told COMELEC Chairman George Garcia: "Dapat po siguro ito yung magkaroon ng info [drive] ngayon o bukas ang DILG at COMELEC para nang sa ganon magkaroon muna ng transition kahit one week kasi Undas pa eh."

For the Senator, this would allow the new barangay and SK officials to have a proper turnover.

According to Garcia, COMELEC and DILG are coordinating to properly inform the upcoming set of barangay and SK officials of the said ruling.

In a 25 October Press Conference, Garcia said, "as soon as they are elected on October 30 and proclaimed, the next day they should assume office right away because their term of office started on January 1, 2023," citing the 27 June SC decision, in accordance with RA 11462 or the law postponing 2020 barangay and SK elections.

Meanwhile, Sen. Tol also urged the COMELEC to have a proper hotline for voters to easily raise election-related concerns especially on the day of the polls.