Secretary Jesse M. Robredo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday issued a directive setting up the election of officers for the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) chapters at the municipal, city, provincial, regional and national levels.
In his directive, Robredo noted that the election for the city and municipal LnB chapters shall be held on December 7, 2010; for the provincial on December 17, 2010, and for the regional and national chapters on January 13 and 14, 2011, respectively.
Robredo said the election of officers is in compliance with the Local Government Code of 1991, which provides for the organization of the Liga ng mga Barangay chapters at the municipal, city, provincial and metropolitan subdivision levels.
This year’s Liga chapter elections shall be participated in by all punong barangays or barangay chairmen who were elected during the October 25, 2010 synchronized barangay and sanggunian kabataan elections.
Under the Liga Constitution and By-Laws, the officers to be elected for the municipal, city, metropolitan and provincial chapters are: president, vice president, auditor and six to eight board members.
On the other hand, officers for the regional chapter are: president, vice president, secretary, auditor and treasurer, while for the national executive board are: the national president, executive vice president, vice presidents for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, secretary-general, auditor and 16 regional chairmen/board of directors.
The DILG secretary explained that barangay chairmen who will be elected presidents of the municipal, city and provincial Liga chapters shall become an ex-officio members of the municipal, city and provincial sanggunians, respectively.
The DILG’s directive also prescribed the requirements for the conduct of the elections such as; written notice to all punong barangays, payment of registration fees, formation and designation of the members of the different election committees such as, nominations, registration and credential committees, a board of canvassers, as well as the period of filing of certificate of candidacy.
The Liga elections shall be supervised by the Board of Election Supervisors (BES) at all levels composed of a DILG officer as chairman, with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) representative, and a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or People’s Organization (PO) representative, as members.
Under the directive, the BES is authorized to resolve any controversy that may arise during the election, as well as resolve any post-proclamation electoral protest, subject to the review by the National Liga Board, whose decision is final and executory.
Robredo directed all DILG regional and field officers to extend technical assistance to the Liga ng mga Barangay Chapters in their areas of jurisdiction as may be necessary and appropriate. ###
