DILG told local elected officials to perform their jobs this poll period

TACLOBAN CITY, March 22 (PNA) – With just few days away before campaign period for local candidates, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on local elected officials to continue doing their job.

DILG Eastern Visayas Regional Director Pedro Noval admitted that jobs of governors, vice governors, provincial board members, mayors, vice mayors, and councilors will be affected during campaign season, but they have to manage their time.

“They have to continue functioning as elected official because their oath of office will end up on June 30, 2016. From now until June 30, they are still elected official, hence they have to function as such.

 All they have to do is to budget their time between campaigning and doing their job,” Noval told local officials.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 9981 dated Aug. 18, 2015, local candidates can start their campaign on March 25. However, campaigning is not allowed on Good Friday as part of Roman Catholic observance of the Holy Week, pushing the start of campaign period to March 26.

Noval also reminded local chief executives to refrain from involving their local government employees during the campaign or related activities during the election period in compliance to Civil Service Commission rules.

According to Section 93 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines, no local official or employee in the civil service shall "engage directly or indirectly in any partisan political activity or take part in any election, initiative, referendum, plebiscite, or recall, except to vote, nor shall he use his official authority or influence to cause the performance of any political activity by any person or body."

The CSC warned that government employees will face administrative charges if caught engaging in partisan activities that may also cause their dismissal from the service.

Prohibited acts include forming a group in support of a particular candidate, membership in a political party and helping solicit money and support for or against a candidate. (PNA)

FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO