Nat'l Youth Comm: Watch SK poll fund closely

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —  Now that the Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 28 is postponed, the National Youth Commission (NYC) is urging the people, especially the youth, to be keep a close watch to ensure that the budget for the SK polls will not be used for other purposes other than for youth development.

NYC chairman Leon Flores III, in a phone interview with the Bacolod media Wednesday, said the budget for the SK election will be kept by the Sangguniang Barangay, where there is tendency that it may be re-channeled to other programs not related to the youth.

Flores said NYC respected the postponement of SK election after the bicameral conference committee agreed on Tuesday to leave the SK posts vacant until new officials are elected, to give way for the legislature to introduce reforms to the organization.

The present SK officials, therefore, have to vacate their posts on November 30, this year, he said.

The Senate and the House panels also agreed to require the Comelec to hold the SK polls between October 28, 2014 and February 23, 2015.

In a text message to the The Freeman, Flores said, "The NYC pushed for the postponement simply because we do not want to subject a new batch of 15 to 17 (youth) to a system that needs reform.

"We are glad that the postponement is pushing through so we can assure the next officials that they will be in a system that really trains them for good governance.

"By resetting the polls, Congress is giving itself a natural deadline to put in the reforms in one year. We are still saddened though that with no holdover, there is seeming disenfranchisement of young people during the transition," Flores added.  (FREEMAN)