Go on leave, Catholic youth leaders running in BSKE told

MANILA, Philippines — The Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Youth has told its officials to go on leave if they want to seek positions in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

In a two-page memorandum circular dated Aug. 30, Cebu Archdiocesan youth director Fr. Andrei Ventanilla enumerated the guidelines for youth council members who are seeking positions in government.

“Any council officer who seeks a government position must take a leave from office during the campaign period, which is from Oct. 19 to 28, as proided under Resolution No. 10902,” Ventanilla said.

The barangay and SK elections will be conducted on Oct. 30.

“If an officer of the council implementation committee is elected into a government office, he should resign from his position, but may remain as a member of the council,” Ventanilla said.

He clarified that the circular covers only officials of the implementation committee as they might experience difficulty in balancing their time between their obligations in the Church and their responsibilities as public servants.

“These guidelines are our way of preventing them from having conflicts of interest. It gives them a venue to focus on their role as public servant-leaders, who will serve God by serving their country through their own localities,” Ventanilla said.

He said the issuance of the circular was not intended to discourage the officers from running for public office.

Ventanilla said the Filipino youth should be encouraged to serve in government.

He said the youth in public service should be supported through prayers and advice as this is part of their mission as lay people.

Ventanilla reminded them not to use the Church to promote their personal agenda.