TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — Officials of Southern Leyte province welcomed the signing of President Benigno S. Aquino of the bill that postpones the conduct of the Sangguniang Kabataan elections this Oct 28.
Lone district Rep. Damian Mercado said that he is happy with the development as he cited that the Sangguniang Kabataan seems to have no clear mission and vision.
“It is a welcome news to us. It is even better to abolish the SK system, so that the youth can concentrate on their studies,” Mercado said.
Similar sentiment was also expressed by Governor Roger Mercado.
“The youth should focus more on more important matters, like skills training and sports. The province has good sports program to prepare up our athletes in the regional and national sports competition,” the governor said.
President Aquino signed the bill suspending the SK polls this month, almost two weeks after its approval by the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The new law amends Republic Act 9340 or the law that synchronizes the village and Kabataan polls. Both elections have been set on October 28, a special non-working holiday.
The law also provides that the next SK polls will be held between Oct. 28, 2014 and Feb. 23, 2015.
There will be no holdover for the incumbent SK officials until the next polls are set by the Commission on Elections.
About 42,000 seats for SK chairmen and 300,000 seats for SK council nationwide will be contested if polls are held on October 28.
As early as July and at the height of the PDAF pork barrel scam, the SK system has also been criticized for allegedly exposing the youth to traditional politics and corruption.