House panel votes to reset youth polls

MANILA, Philippines—The House of Representatives committee on suffrage approved Tuesday a bill resetting the Sangguniang Kabataan elections to October 2016.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, a member of the committee, said the postponement of the polls from Oct. 28 this year would allow lawmakers to introduce reforms to the Sangguniang Kabataan system so it could meet its objective of making the youth more effective partners of government.

“We will evaluate the organization and assess how the youth could effectively function as a strong voice of their sector,” Castelo said. He said he was not for abolishing the Sangguniang Kabataan or local youth councils.

The bill will now go to the plenary for deliberation and a vote on second reading.

Earlier, Commission on Elections Chair Sixto Brillantes said that if the Sangguniang Kabataan polls were to be postponed, it would be better to hold them in 2016 instead of next year.

Meanwhile, an environmental watchdog group on Tuesday urged candidates in the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to commit to a clean campaign.

“One month before the filing of COCs (certificates of candidacy), we appeal to well-meaning barangay and SK candidates to commit to a zero-waste campaign,” said Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator.

“Please make it part of your platform and your plan to win,” said Lucero in a statement.

The Commission on Elections has set the filing of COCs on Oct. 11-17 before the elections on Oct. 28.

“By zero-waste campaign, we mean candidates and their supporters actively taking steps to prevent, if not eradicate, garbage and pollution by rejecting acts that disrespect and damage the environment as they compete for the people’s votes,” Lucero said.