By Francis Allan L. Angelo
AFTER the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections Monday, all eyes are on the election of the Liga ng mga Barangay and SK Federation in Iloilo City.
Punong Barangay and incumbent Liga president Irene Ong of President Roxas, City Proper and Roberto Divinagracia of Brgy. San Agustin, City Proper are the top contenders in the Liga elections in December.
The Liga president will earn a seat in the Iloilo City council as ex-officio member.
Ong is identified with the group of former secretary Raul M. Gonzalez Sr. while Divinagracia is allied with Iloilo City Rep. Jerry P. Treñas and Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog.
Mabilog said 70% of barangay captains who won in the polls belong to their group, an indication that Divinagracia might clinch the Liga presidency with ease.
But Mabilog said he has no problem if Ong retains the top Liga post “because I am comfortable with Councilor Ong.”
Mabilog said he shares the same vision with Ong and Divinagracia.
“I am okay with Councilor Ong but since we have a group, I also have to consider their sentiments. We will leave it to the punong barangays to decide,” he said.
Ong said she does not mind working with Mabilog and Treñas “because they have nothing against me.”
Ong said they have extended financial help to families of 13 deceased barangay officials in the city which she initiated since she assumed as Liga president in 2008.
Each beneficiary received P100,000 from the contributions of other barangay officials, Ong said.
The current Liga leadership also hired a legal counsel to help barangay officials facing charges for discharging their duties and functions.
“I don’t believe that politicians will intrude in the Liga elections because this is a decision of the punong barangays. Nonetheless, I can work with the current administration even if we belong to different groups,” Ong said.
Ong and Divinagracia were erstwhile allies. They went their separate ways when Treñas decided to cut his political ties with the Gonzalezes before the May 2010 elections.
Divinagracia ran for city councilor under Treñas but lost.
Meanwhile, a niece of Mayor Mabilog, SK chairperson Sheen Marie S. Mabilog of Tap-oc, Molo district, is being groomed to replace her cousin, SK Federation-Iloilo City president John Melchor Mabilog.
The SK federation president also sits as an ex-officio member of the city council representing the youth.
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