Reforms for Village Polls Needed — Senators

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the tension that wracked this year's barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, two senators on Monday affirmed the need for major reforms including the possible abolition of the village and youth polls to save the government billions of funds.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Edgardo Angara, in separate interviews over radio DZBB, said it is high time lawmakers and even the Commission on Elections look into an alternative barangay system when the call for a review to the proposed synchronization of the barangay polls with the national elections commences.

“I was in favor of postponing it to 2013 to synchronize with the elections so we won't have to hold frequent elections. It’s costly for the country and this way we can economize our electoral expenses,” Enrile said in mixed English and Filipino.

“They should take that into consideration, if we still need to keep the present barangay system. Based on what’s happening, it’s getting worse and bloody. It’s breaking down the unity of our community all the way down,” the senator said.

“You compound the problem of peace and order in the country, you compound the social disunity in the society, you compound the partisanship in every nook and corner of the country with this system that we have adopted,” he added.

Hannah Torregoza, Manila Bulletin