Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal   By Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal Before anything else, I have to congratulate the hardworking Comelec field officials and personnel who worked overtime to ensure they processed the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) of the candidates for barangay and SK. By now, the dust has settled and all the candidates for barangay and SK have already filed their respective Certificates of Candidacy. The deadline was last Friday, April, 20. In summation, the following elective positions will be contested this May 14, 2018. Barangay chairman – 41,948 posts. Barangay kagawad – 335,583 posts (seven kagawads per barangay). SK chairman – 41,948 posts. SK kagawad – 335,583 (seven SK kagawads per barangay). So this coming May 14, 2018, the public will be electing a total of 671,168 individuals into office. This will also be the first instance that the anti-dynasty provision will be tested, specifically for the SK elections. Now comes verifying the COCs filed with the various Comelec offices. After compiling the forms submitted to the local Comelec offices, all the Certificates of Candidacy will have to be brought to Manila to be verified, after which, Comelec releases a list of candidates qualified to run in the May 14 barangay and SK elections. The Comelec Central Office will have to review and check all the COCs filed. If there are petitions filed by candidates, Comelec will have less than two weeks to resolve those petitions for Cancellation of Certificate of Candidacy and Petitions for Disqualification. Take note that the campaign period for the May 14, 2018, elections will be from May 4 to May 12. Before the start of the campaign period, the final list of candidates should have already been verified by the central office and released by the local election officer. Though barangay and SK officials look to be at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of importance in the eyes of the voters, these elected officials are, in truth, probably the most important government officials who interact on a daily basis with the electorate. Too much emphasis is given on elected government officials of higher position, but the barangay is where you can see government at work. Not too many understand this, or maybe some just take the barangay officials for granted. Until, that is, when they get involved in a local dispute with their neighbor, or have a concern with the drainage or some other matter in the barangay. It’s not the president, governor, congressman, or even mayor who fixes their problem. It’s generally the barangay officials who they have to turn to have their concerns addressed. And that’s why voting the coming May 14 is important. You, the voter, will be stuck with the barangay officials you voted for. Whether that’ll be a good thing or bad, will depend on YOU, and who YOU vote for. So participate in the process, make your voice heard, go out and VOTE and get officials you deserve into office. They’ll be your officials for the next two years.   https://www.facebook.com/GoyYLarrazabal/   https://www.facebook.com/LarrazabalLawOffice/   https://twitter.com/GoyYLarrazabal