Umapela si Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda sa COMELEC na ma-exempt sa Barangay Election spending ban ang mga government agency gaya ng DSWD na tumutugon sa mga apektado ng pag-aalburoto ng Bulkang Mayon.
Batay kasi sa Omnibus Election Code, ipinagbabawal ang paglalabas ng pondo 45 araw bago ang regular election at 30 araw naman kung special elections.
Punto ni Salceda, hindi pa rin matukoy kung kailan sasabog ang bulkan kaya’t ang evacuation at relief efforts ay maaaring umabot o lumagpas pa ng Barangay Elections.
Sa kasalukuyan ng Alert Level 3 ay 39,901 na indibidwal na ang apektado at posible aniyang umakyat ito ng hanggang 103,181 kung pumutok na ang Mayon.
“Evacuation efforts typically follow a 45-day, 90-day, or 110-day period based on historical experience. Because warning signs of an imminent violent eruption come and go, evacuation efforts must continue until volcanic activity clearly subsides or until a violent eruption actually occurs. Until then, evacuees will require food aid, training activities, cash-for-work programs, and other socioeconomic support to replace economic activities they are barred from doing due to the evacuation orders,” Salceda added.
Nais aniya nilang tumalima sa batas ngunit mayroon din aniya silang mandato na alagaan ang kanilang constituents.
“Clarity is everything for us. We want to abide by the law. And we want to take care of our people. We want to do both. COMELEC has the means and the power to help us do both. That’s why we are making this request,” dagdag ng kinatawan.| ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
