WITH the postponement of the barangay and SK elections, National Youth Commission (NYC) Commissioner for Luzon Perci Cendaña is pushing for a youth representative in local government through the barangay youth development task force.
"Another year without an SK representative means another year of disenfranchisement of the youth," Cendaña told VoxPop Baguio.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives and the Senate agreed to move the Barangay and SK polls to October 23, 2017 with Congress approving the bill the following day, sealing the fate for both the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan hopefuls.
Cendaña said the NYC respects the decision of both the Congress and the Senate.
"We feel that the 3rd postponement of the SK is again a disenfranchisement of the youth. They are taking away the vote of the youth," Cendaña lamented.
The commissioner added while there is another year without an SK representative in government, the NYC will push for barangay youth development representative which is allowed by law and has an allotment of the 10% of village funds.
The barangay youth representative is provided in the Youth Code providing comprehensive policies and contains the rights of the youth in the municipality both social and political assuring concerns of the youth will be heard even if there is a vacancy in the SK post.
Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez meanwhile in a statement said they are asking for a clear indication by September 1 whether or not Congress would postpone the elections.
"We got our answer sooner than expected. All we need now is the signed law to serve as a legal basis for the postponement," Jimenez added.
Following the suspension of ballot printing, Jimenez said postponement of the barangay polls to 2018 would adversely affect preparations for the mid-term elections scheduled for 2019.
President Rodrigo Duterte is backing the move to postpone the elections, fearing that drug money might be used to fund candidates.
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