President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the ceremonial signing Tuesday of the Malasakit Center Act and the postponement of the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in Malacañang.

Under Republic Act 11462, the barangay and SK elections will be held in December 2022.

This is the third time that the barangay and SK polls were deferred since 2016.

The President also signed the law institutionalizing Malasakit Centers in hospitals run by the Department of Health (DOH).

Republic Act No. 11463 is a project of Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

The Malasakit Center Act calls for the establishment of a one-stop-shop center for medical and financial assistance provided by the DOH, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in DOH-run hospitals throughout the country.

Meanwhile, President Duterte vowed to go after water concessionaires, which he said, are treating the people and the government unfairly.

In a speech during the ceremonial signing, the President said water concessionaires are having their way with the water system contracts and in controlling water prices in the country.

“Atin ang tubig, sila ang distributor Manila Water. Ngayon, may nag — may pumasok tayo sa kontrata na distributor lang sila. But they were treating us if it was a mining gold o diamond,” said the President, who vowed to expose the concessionaires and charge them with economic sabotage.

The President has ordered Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Solicitor General Jose Calida to craft a new contract that is favorable to the public and the government. PND