SK polls deferred anew

EDITORIAL

Politicians itching to field their children or relatives as bets for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls may have to wait a little longer.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has again decided to move back the start of the election period for SK polls from April 10 to May 10 even as both the Lower House and Senate passed House Bill 5209 further postponing SK polls according to Baguio Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping, Jr.

Aliping said “the bill was transmitted to the office of President Benigno Aquino III on February 25, 2015.”

He said if the bill is not signed by the end of the prescribed deadline, which is one month after its transmittal to the President’s office, it will automatically pass into law.

The Comelec had previously recommended that the SK elections be held on April 25.

The Comelec, through Resolution No. 9934, noted that “there is a necessity to adjust further the start of the election period in the calendar of activities and periods of certain prohibited acts.”

The agency Tuesday said the move was meant to “avoid a situation wherein the prohibition on certain acts is already effective, only to be nullified later on when House Bill No. 5209 becomes a law.”

Such prohibited acts include the implementation of a gun ban, prohibition of the use of security personnel or bodyguards by personnel and transfer of government workers including public school teachers.

The bill which seeks to postpone the SK polls to the last Monday of October 2016 is awaiting action by President Aquino. The Comelec believes that if the bill is not signed by April 4, it will automatically lapse into law.

On Oct. 21, 2014, the Comelec issued Resolution 9905, setting the conduct of SK elections on Feb. 21, 2015.

The poll body had moved the schedule again to April 25 by virtue of Resolution No. 9930, promulgated last Feb. 5.

The election period is supposed to start on March 26.

Aliping, one of authors of consolidated House Bill 5209, said SK elections was first scheduled on October 2013.

It was entitled “Postponing the Sangguniang Kabataan elections to the last Monday of October 2016, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 9164.”

Aliping said “postponement of SK elections was brought about by urgent need for reforms in the Sangguniang Kabataan.”After the postponement, several bills introducing reforms were filed and are currently being

deliberated as possible amendments to the Local Government Code of 1991(RA No. 7160).

“These changes will give more meaning and greater impact on the Sangguniang  Kabataan if the desired reforms are firmly in place before the leaders and officials are elected,” Aliping said.

The move to postpone the election was met with opposition by some sectors. National Youth Commission chairman Leon Flores III said that delaying the polls is a “de facto abolition” of the system.

Aliping  however said there will be no abolition but “the postponement will allow Congress more time to legislate the appropriate amendments to applicable provisions of the Local Government Code affecting the Sangguniang Kabataan.”

“With the postponement, the youth who will aspire to be elected as officials of the renewed Sangguniang Kabataan will have sufficient time to familiarize themselves with their roles, functions, duties and responsibilities as youth leaders,” said Aliping.

He said the next elections for barangay and SK officials who will be working closely together in their respective barangays will again be synchronized.Several sectors, he said support the move to synchronize barangay and SK elections.