Comelec taps Kathryn Bernardo to push women to run for youth, village polls
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has tapped young actress Kathryn Bernardo to help encourage voters, especially women, to run in the barangay and youth elections this May.
The poll body is banking on the popularity and influence of the 21-year-old actress, who appears in a 41-second video clip which aims to promote gender equality in elections.
In the Youtube video, Bernardo urges Filipinos not to think twice in particpating in the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
“Not only as voters, but as candidates. Remember, history has proven that with women at the helm, nothing is impossible,” she said.
The video cited data from the Comelec which showed that there are more women voters than men – 28,052,138 women or 51 percent, against 26,311,706 or 48.4 percent.
Sporting the hashtag #WomenMakeChange, the same video added that only one in five candidates is a woman, hence, the need for more women to participate as candidates.
The video was posted last February 5 and uploaded by Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez with the title, “Kathryn Bernardo thinks you should run.”
Bernardo was chosen by the Comelec’s Gender and Development office as she is a “power role model particularly for the youth, having exemplified the talent and ability of Filipinas of all ages.”
“In a political landscape that would benefit tremendously from greater participation of women, she is a fitting voice to deliver the Comelec-GAD’s message encouraging women to participate in elections, not just to register as voters but to run for posts,” he said.
Data from the Comelec showed that in the 2013 barangay elections, there were only 212,922 female candidates as compared to 605,776 male candidates.
In the said elections, 86,377 females and 246,410 males, won barangay positions.
In the 2010 Sangguniang Kabataan elections, only 263,587 girls ran for positions, as compared to 261,287 boys. In the said polls, 134,558 girls and 137,872 boys were elected as youth officials.
Candidates wanting to run in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections will be allowed to file their certificates of candidacy with the Comelec from April 14 to 20.
