Partylist group says Cebu vital to its success

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu is a significant city for youth sector partylist Kabataan.

For the past elections, the Queen City of the South has delivered a number of votes for the group.

“The votes that we get in Cebu City never went below 2 percent. Maybe because the place is a university city and a lot of the youth are here,” Kabataan Partylist representative Raymond “Mong” Palatino said.

Students coming from Cebu City were also instrumental in organizing the youth in neighboring provinces.

“They (Cebuano students) were also responsible for organizing our chapters in Masbate and Visayas areas,” Palatino added, saying they are indebted to the Cebuano youth in helping them in their advocacies.

The 33-year-old congressman is in Cebu for a speaking engagement and to take the opportunity to meet with local leaders.

“We have a voters’ education activity in barangay Tisa, Cebu City, I will also do radio hopping, and will meet with local leaders before heading for Iloilo Sunday,” he said.

Kabataan is eyeing another seat in the Congress this coming midterm elections in May.

As reelectionist partylist, the group has faced several issues, one of which is the controversial and nation-divider Reproductive Health (RH) law.

With the church coming up with a list of people tagged as Team Patay referring to those who favored RH and Team Buhay for those who oppose RH, Palatino opined that the Catholic church could have been more general in its election warning.

“It’s unfair and a disservice to the Christian community… The advisory should have been broader, and they should expand their platform of criteria,” the young congressman explained, saying he supported RH because he “values life” and not otherwise.

“Aanhin mo naman ang anti-RH pero corrupt,” he added.

The church, he added, should be there to “enlighten, not muddle.” (FREEMAN)