BACOLOD City – Filing certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the Liga ng mga Barangay election in this capital city will begin today.
Barangay 5 village chief Reymundo Salaveria, chairman of the Liga’s committee on nomination, said they will accept COCs for the July 30 election starting 2 p.m. today until 5 p.m. on Friday at the MassKara Hall inside the Bacolod City Government Center.
The election will also be conducted there, Salaveria added.
Outgoing Liga president Noli Villarosa, village chief of Barangay Tangub, said he will seek reelection.
Three other village chiefs have also expressed their interest over the Liga presidency.
They were Barangay Singcang-Airport’s Rosinie Distrito, Barangay 15’s Anthony Loth Ayco and Barangay Vista Alegre’s Jose Maria Leandro Norberto de Leon.
Distrito, de Leon and Ayco are members of Grupo Progreso, a local political group that Mayor Evelio Leonardia leads.
Village chiefs from 61 barangays in Bacolod will vote for the Liga president – who will be an ex-officio member of the city council – and other Liga officials.
Under the Local Government Code of 1991, the Liga president must give priority to programs designed for the total development of barangays in line with the policies, programs and projects of the national government.
The president must also “assist in the education of barangay residents for people’s participation in local government administration,” “supplement the efforts of government in creating gainful employment within the barangay” and “adopt measures to promote the welfare of barangay officials.”
He or she must also hold forums for the barangays to “forge linkages with government and nongovernmental organizations and thereby promote the social, economic and political well-being.”
The president is also expected to “exercise such powers and perform duties and functions which will bring about stronger ties between barangays and promote the welfare of barangay inhabitants.”/PN
