POSTPONE BARANGAY, SK ELECTIONS: Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, co-sponsors Senate Bill No. 1306 or the Act Postponing the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections to December next year. In explaining why the measure is one of his priority bills, Estrada cited the need for the country to address more pressing problems such as the lingering effects of the pandemic, surging inflation and the rising cost of living. Being the most basic form of government, Estrada said barangays serve as the pillar from which government is able to accomplish its duties and obligations. “It is vital that they be at least given the opportunity to fulfill their electoral mandates, making up opportunities taken away by the pandemic. It would be most prudent to do so, since by ensuring the execution and implementation of the programs they were elected for, it warrants a better cohesion of government at both the barangay and national level, which is essentially a key to the betterment of our country,” Estrada explained. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)