President Benigno Aquino III and lawmakers will discuss the possible postponement of barangay elections and abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan in an upcoming Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting, Malacañang said Friday.
Aquino has instructed Presidential Management Staff head Julia Abad to schedule a LEDAC soon to discuss the proposed 2011 budget, which the Palace will submit to Congress later this month, and proposals regarding the barangay and SK polls, according to Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang.
"I'm sure that will be brought up as a topic," Carandang said in a press conference, referring to the upcoming barangay and SK elections in October which some lawmakers want to postpone.
No exact date has been set for the LEDAC meeting, he said.
Aquino had earlier supported the proposal of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to push through with the barangay polls in October but amend the law in order to abolish the SK council and replace it with just one youth representative in each barangay council.
"The president's initial thinking was ituloy sana eleksyon (better to push through with the election) but I understand lawmakers have some concerns, so definitely pag-uusapan yan (that will be discussed)," said Carandang.
Several bills to postpone the October polls for barangay and SK officials are pending before the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Aquino's first LEDAC meet
The LEDAC was created in 1992 under R.A. 7640 as a consultative and advisory body to the President, to help integrate his legislative agenda with the national development plan, among others.
The advisory council is composed of the president as chairman, the vice president, the Senate president, the House speaker, seven Cabinet members, three senators, three House members, and one representative each from the local government, the youth, and the private sector.
The LEDAC convenes at least once every quarter. The upcoming LEDAC meeting will be Aquino's first as president.—Jam L. Sisante/JV
