Palace asks voting public to participate in barangay polls

Published October 25, 2013 2:45pm

Malacañang on Friday asked voters to go out and exercise their right on October 28, stressing that the barangay is an important level of government.

"It’s very, very important. And we ask everybody to go out on Monday and to vote and to make sure that ... the ones that you vote for will reflect ... your needs, [and] the needs of your community," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said during a press conference.

For one, Valte said the importance of barangay officials can be proven by the recent victims of calamities.

"Pero tanungin niyo ho doon sa mga komunidad na dinaanan na ng kalamidad, alam nila kung gaano ka-importante na gumagalaw at may kapabalidad yung barangay officials," she said.

"Sila ho ang frontline sa inyo. Ang isipin ho natin na kung sino ba yung makakapagbigay at makakapagresponde doon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga ating komunidad. Kasi bago dumating ang provincial, bago dumating ang munisipyo, barangay ho dapat yung nandoon," she added.

Valte, meanwhile, said the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now on full alert ahead of Monday's polls.

She also said 51 election-related incidents have been recorded between September 28 to October 24. As of Thursday, the number of deaths related to the barangay elections was placed at 22. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: barangayelections, barangayelections2013