With the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections set to take place on Monday, May 14, two Iloilo City barangays, Libertad-Santa Isabel in the Jaro district and Timawa Tanza 1 in the City Proper district, are currently without candidates for SK chairperson.

Despite lacking candidates, however, City Election Officer, Atty. Reiner Layson, affirmed the election would proceed.

“Ang matabo dira sa SK elections, wala sang balota nga isipon kay wala man kandidato (What happens with the SK elections, there will be no ballot because there is no candidate),” he explained. “That fact, i-record na ya sang aton electoral board sa ila nga minutes (That fact has already been recorded in the electoral board minutes).”

“The same will be informed or reported to the election officer and to the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government),” Layson added.

He noted, the city DILG is already aware of the barangays without candidates.

In addition, according to the Iloilo City Commission on Elections (Comelec), there are currently no candidates for SK kagawad in eight barangays, including Libertad-Santa Isabel, Desamparados, and Maria Cristina in the Jaro district; Magsaysay in the La Paz district; Yulo Drive in the Arevalo district; and President Roxas and Sampaguita in the City Proper district.

Layson noted, the respective elections in the said communities are not considered “failed,” pointing out, “[If] there will be a vacancy, that vacancy will be filled, according to the law.”

The city Comelec recorded a total of 375 candidates for SK chairperson and 1,284 for SK kagawad, with 50 candidates running unopposed for chairperson.

Meanwhile, in the barangay elections, 34 barangay captain candidates are running unopposed./WDJ