The barangay election in October this year will go on as scheduled together with the Sangguniang Kabataan election, because Congress does not have enough time to amend the law postponing the barangay election to next year.

Rep. Monico Puentevella said yesterday he had earlier said the poll may be postponed because Cebu Rep. Eddie Gullas has proposed a bill, now pending in Congress, seeking the postponement of the barangay election to 2008, citing that no two elections should be held in the same year.

Puentevella, however, said it appears that there is a strong resistance against the proposal in the Senate especially from Senator Aquilino Pimentel who wants the Barangay election to push through. He said the funds for the Barangay and SK elections are provided in the national budget under COMELEC. He said the budget for the barangay election is about P1.05 trillion.

The registration for the Barangay elections has been extended from July 24 to 31, while that of the SK election is from July 28 and 29 and August 4 and 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Meanwhile, Puentevella asked those who criticized the State of the Nation Address of the President if they have any alternative program after 2010.

Puentevella was reacting to the statement of Senator Loren Legarda that the SONA lacked vision and was not inspiring and even gave it a rating of 6.

It's easy to criticize or judge but have they presented any alternative program for the generation after 2010? He asked, referring to Legarda, Senators Manny Villar, Mar Roxas and Panfilo Lacson.

Puentevella also said the committee chairmanships in the House of Representatives may be finalized in mid August. He said he has retained the same position as chairman of the Committee on Transportation and as senior vice chairman for Telecommunications.*CGS

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