BACOLOD CITY — More than 300 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in Negros Occidental took their oath before Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. in rites witnessed by other provincial officials here on Thursday afternoon.
“Lead by example. The development and progress of your barangay lies on your leadership,” the governor told the newly-elected officials during the mass-oathtaking held at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center.
Marañon urged them to use their resources wisely and prioritize the projects that will benefit the majority.
He cited the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Insurance Program (NOCHP), considered as one of the most successful projects of the provincial government, as a tool in helping many indigent Negrenses in their medical needs.
The governor warned the barangay officials though not to use the NOCHP for political purposes.
As of early 2018, more than 200,000 families, or more than one million individuals have benefited from the Capitol’s health insurance program.
The mass oath-taking ceremony was followed by an open forum where the newly-elected barangay and SK officials raised various concerns to the provincial officials.
Other officials present were Board Members Salvador Escalante Jr. and Samson Mirhan of the Second District, Alain Gatuslao of the Fifth District, Annabelle Bermudo of the Association of Barangay Captains, and Valentino Miguel Alonso of the Philippine Councilors League as well as Fourth District Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer.
The term of the newly-elected barangay and SK officials will start at noontime of June 30.
The latest batch will serve for only two years, instead of the three years mandated by law since Republic Act 10952, which rescheduled the barangay and SK elections to May 2018, also set the next elections for May 2020. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
