Provincial SK Federation won’t collectively support candidates

CEBU, Philippines - The Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of the Province of Cebu do not have particular candidates that they will collectively support in the coming May 13 elections.

SKF president, ex-officio Provincial Board Member Aladin Wilyamie Caminero, admitted though that during their meetings, some of their members were asking if they have to collectively support particular candidates.

Caminero is the son of PB Member Wilfredo Caminero who is running for congressman under Liberal Party against incumbent Rep. Pablo Garcia of One Cebu Party in the second district which has 15 towns.

Aladin said that he is giving his members free hand to choose whom they are supporting in their respective cities, towns and districts.

He said that at their age, he doesn’t drag his members into traditional politics as this is the first time they can cast their votes as regular voters.

“It only depends on them, I give them the freedom,” Aladin said.

SK officials and members will be voting for the first time as regular voters in the May 13 election.

They were elected SK officials in October 2010 at ages 15 to 17 years old.

In the case of Aladin, he is now 19 years old and is already qualified as regular voter.

Aladin said that during their SK national congress in Boracay Island last week, their national officers also did not discuss politics.

The SK, composed of one chairman and seven kagawads, is a governing body in each barangay as the local youth program and projects implementation partner of the government.

The chairman automatically sits in the barangay council as ex-officio member. He or she automatically gets chairmanship of the Committee on Youth and Sports, one of the standing committees in the village council.

Every Sangguniang Kabataan is then merged into municipal and city federations, then city and municipal federations grouped into a provincial federation. (FREEMAN)