House OKs postponement of SK polls

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives approved on second reading last night a bill postponing the scheduled election of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officers next month.

This means that the nation would elect only its new set of barangay officials on Oct. 28.

Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, who chairs the committee on suffrage and electoral reform, said the SK election has to be postponed while Congress is mulling changes in the youth representation system in the barangay council and town legislative assemblies.

He said there are complaints that youth representatives have been engaging in dirty politics when they are supposed to be non-partisan together with barangay officials.

They are also being introduced at a young age to corruption, he said.

Castro quoted Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte as complaining that the youth representative in the city council is frequently absent in its session and has failed to initiate legislation for the welfare of the youth.

He said this could be the case in many cities and towns throughout the country.

He added that the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes support the proposed postponement of the SK vote.

Brillantes has advocated the abolition of the SK, saying barangay officials are enough to run the affairs of their communities.

Under the postponement bill approved by the House, the SK election would be postponed and synchronized with the next barangay vote in October 2016.

There will be no hold over for incumbent SK officers, whose term of office expires on Nov. 30.

Terry Ridon of the party-list group Kabataan, who objected to the SK vote postponement, said the bill effectively abolishes the SK organization.

The Senate has approved a similar postponement measure.

There are about 42,000 seats for SK chair and 300,000 seats for SK council members.

Zambo polls postponement?

Postponing the barangay poll on Oct. 28 in Zamboanga City affected by hostilities is a possibility.

Speaking to reporters, elections Commissioner Grace Padaca said many factors must be considered in deciding if the polls in these barangays should push through or not even if the fighting in Zamboanga City ends soon.

“Our Comelec office (in the city) is situated in the stadium which is now being used as evacuation center, so our people there have not been reporting for work since the beginning of the situation,” she said.

“Our election officer from District 1, Alvin Lim, is also stuck in Basilan.”

Padaca said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) must check if registered voters in the affected barangays would still be available to vote in their polling precincts.

– With Sheila Crisostomo, Ric Sapnu