BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
CAPIZ – A total of 17,209 candidates in the province of Capiz filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for the upcoming barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).
The data aggregate of candidates, according to the Capiz Provincial Commission on Election Office, is as follows:
* barangay captain – 1,051 candidates
* barangay kagawad – 8,324 candidates
* SK chair – 1,111 candidates
* SK kagawad – 6,723 candidates
Capiz is composed of 473 barangays.
Atty. Wil Arceno, provincial election supervisor, noted an increase in the number of candidates.
One of the perceived reasons, according to Arceno, was the additional benefits to the SK members.
Republic Act (RA) 11768, signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, provided other benefits, including class exemptions and health insurance, to SK members.
The law also amended parts of RA 10742, including its provision that granted only SK chairs the honorarium./PN
