THE Filipino people, including the ordinary citizens, concede that there are corrupt, abusive, lazy and other “do-nothing” barangay officials throughout the country.

That’s why there’s always a nationwide public uproar whenever the two-chamber Congress manages to postpone a barangay election, which is “democracy in action.”

And in the view of various quarters, a candidate in the May 9 election is committing “political suicide” if he/she supports the postponement of the village polls in December.

It will be recalled that last year, a bill was filed in the House of Representatives seeking to postpone the Dec. 5, 2022 barangay political exercise.

The author of the proposed legislation said the village polls should be reset to May 2024 to ensure “continuity in delivery” of government services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the filing of the bill drew howls and jeers from many sectors, saying that postponing the barangay elections anew would deprive the people of their right to change their officials.

The last barangay elections were held in May 2018. In December 2019, Duterte signed a law postponing the May 11, 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.

Barangay and SK officials who will be elected in the Dec. 5, 2022 polls would assume office on Jan. 1, 2023. Subsequent polls will be held every three years thereafter.

We share the view of well-meaning Filipinos that the citizens, through the registered voters, should be allowed to kick out erring barangay and SK officials.

Isang “political suicide” ang pag-suporta sa balaking pagpapaliban uli sa nakatakdang barangay at SK elections sa darating na Disyembre 5.

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