FOLLOWING SENATORS' CAUCUS:
Barangay elections in full steam - Villar

Senate President Manny Villar said the barangay elections will push through in full steam this October.

"Our barangay system is a vital instrument in enabling our people to interact directly with government," the Senate President said.

"We cannot allow another postponement of the barangay elections which can only be construed by the public that the barangay system of governance is the least of our national priorities," he underscored.

"The holding of the barangays elections as scheduled in October is an investment in democracy and in making people believe that their right to choose their barangay officials is inviolable," said Villar, Nacionalista Party president.

After a senators' caucus yesterday, Villar briefed reporters, "We extensively discussed this matter and agreed that there is no reason to defer the barangays elections. Some of us wanted to postpone it but we deemed it necessary to finish this issue since the candidates for the barangay elections - the barangays captains and councilmen - have been waiting. Thus, to put this matter to rest, we made a decision and this decision is to push through with the elections."

He further said, "We want to give our barangays leaders a fresh mandate to serve their constituents."

Earlier, the Senate President vowed to seek the consensus of the senators on the holding of the said elections.

But his position has been to push through with the barangay elections. "For barangay officials who are performing well, an extended term is okay. But what about the officials who are performing poorly? We cannot afford to give them fresh two years and prolong the people's agony," Villar earlier said.

Last Monday, the House passed on third reading the proposed bill moving the barangay and SK polls from Oct. 29, 2007 to May 2009.