Bacolod City-Liga ng mga Barangay (Liga) President and Barangay Tangub Captain Noli Villarosa yesterday said postponement of the upcoming May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections is still likely.

Villarosa, while attending a meeting of Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) members from across the country in Bacolod City, said postponement is likely due to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte prioritizing charter change and federalism.

He also said the P6 to 7 billion budget for the upcoming polls is “too expensive” and the money would be best used to fund the plebiscite on federalism.

Villarosa added, if the elections take place this year, it should be in October.

Meanwhile, while attending the ongoing National Liga Convention in Manila, Negros Occidental Liga President Anabelle Bermudo said similar talks are taking place among those in attendance, despite no formal discussion as of yet.

“Unless it’s the president that [declares] another postponement, that’s [when] the whispering among the barangay leaders [will] stop,” she affirmed.

Oriental Mindoro second district Rep. Reynaldo Umali and Surigao del Sur second district Rep. Johnny Pimentel are expected to address the convention, both are proponents of bills calling for postponing the said polls.

Pimentel filed House Bill No. 7072, which seeks to postpone the said polls until October of this year. He explained, given coordination costs and expenses associated with organizing elections, the Commission on Elections and other involved agencies need additional time to ensure credible and effective barangay elections.

Umali also filed a similar bill, however, his proposal would postpone polls until, at least, May 2019./DGB, WDJ