Seguerra asks Congress to give SK elections a chance

August 15, 2017

National Youth Commission Chairperson Aiza Seguerra urged on Tuesday Congress to reconsider its move to suspend the holding of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. In a press briefing in Malacanang, Seguerra lamented that for many years, there had been no SK polls. "(I)t's hard if old people of if adults will decide for young people. What we're after here is representation. It is very important that the youth has representation up to the barangay (level)," she said. The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms has voted in the first reading the postponement of the village and SK elections. President Rodrigo Duterte has been pushing for the postponement of the village and SK polls, noting that these could only be used by narco-politicians. Seguerra expressed hope that Congress would push through with the SK elections even if it would suspend the village polls. "Please give SK a chance," she said. Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella defended Duterte for admitting that he might not solve the illegal drug problem during his term and yet he wants to postpone the village elections due to possible support by drug syndicates to narco-politicians. "We need to understand that the President is really deeply committed to the transformation of the social structures of the nation, especially institutions like these," he said. "The continued effort to stop narco-politicians does not stop. It just so happens also that it is one of the realities on the ground that narcotics is deeply embedded into the society. However, that does not stop the President’s efforts and one of this is to make sure that drug money does not legalize --- drug money used for the election will not be used to legalize --- the legalized entry of a new set of narco-politicians," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS