By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. told the newly elected barangay officials to be honest all the time as they play an important role in the community.

The Chief Executive also congratulated those who won the elections.

“Binabati ko ang lahat ng mga bago at muling nahalal na barangay at SK officials. Napakahalaga po ng inyong papel sa ating lipunan,” Marcos said in a video message.

“Maging tapat po tayo sa lahat ng oras. Lagi po nating unahin ang kapakanan ng sambayanan sapagkat sila po ang dahilan kung bakit nais nating magsilbi sa bayan,” he added.

On Monday, the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) were “successful and peaceful,” according to the President.

Despite the numerous violent occurrences that were recorded on election day at various polling places nationwide, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia said that there was no failure of election during BSKE.

“Despite the fact of our limited resources, nakakagawa sila ng mga pamamaraan upang maituloy lang ‘yong election, dahil and pangako natin, there should be no failure of election in any of the 201,786 precincts in the country, and we stood to that commitment na walang failure of election dapat,” Garcia said.

While some voting places opened later than expected due to various problems, especially security, he said that all of the 201,786 precincts nationwide operated normally during this year’s elections.

(ai/mnm)