Congress approves bill postponing SK, barangay polls

The Senate and the House of Representatives approved the postponement of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and barangay polls to 2017 from the original schedule of October 31 this year.

The supposedly new and reformed SK was formed after the previous SK developed a poor reputation particularly on April 2010 when Jomarie Cajes, then SK National Federation President, was charged before the Office of the Ombudsman in Cebu City for lack of transparency and for flaunting her wealth. The SK reform consisted of changing the age eligibility to file for candidacy from 15-18 years old to 18-24 years and the voting eligibility from 15-18 years old to 15-30 years old. Anti-political dynasty was also part of the reform ruling that relatives of up to second degree of consanguinity and affinity of incumbent elected officials from barangay to national government are not allowed to run for SK.

The National Youth Commission (NYC) announced before that the SK polls will be conducted together with the barangay elections this coming October 31, 2016. COMELEC also gave a limited span of days for the registration of new SK voters at the local COMELEC offices throughout Philippines. However, those who have already voted in the last National and Local Elections are automatically registered to vote for both SK and barangay polls. According to a local COMELEC secretary, the filing for candidacy was supposed to be on October 3, 4, and 5, 2016 while the election proceeds at October 31 the same year.

“Paasa kaayo kay nag-effort pa mig pa-rehistro, limited pajud ang time unya dili diay to madayun, postpone napud!” a UBian SK voter told The Varsitarian. After the agreed postponement, the COMELEC is to restart the registration period for barangay and SK elections from October 3, 2016 to April 29, 2017.