It’s final! Sangguniang Kabataan will be synchronized with the barangay election in October next year.
Provincial Election Supervisor Eliseo Labaria confirmed this after President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday signed the law that again postponed the SK election. This time, it has been finalized to be held on the last Monday of October next year.
Republic Act 10656, based on Senate Bill 5209, synchronizes the SK election with the barangay elections on October 26, 2016, giving Congress enough time to introduce reform in the SK system.
This is in response to concerns about alleged corruption and politics in the SK activities and elections.
Instead of serving as training ground of the youth for leadership and sound contribution in nation-building, the SK system seemed to have become a venue of corruption, according to some local leaders.
The SK election was first postponed to February 21 this year from its original schedule on October 28, 2013. Then, February 21 to April 25 this year.
Labaria said they would be preparing for three elections next year—the national, and the synchronized SK and barangay elections.
The national elections—choosing from President down to city and municipal councilors—has been set on May 9, 2016.
Filipino voters will choose a President, a Vice President, 12 senators for the national positions; and for the local positions–a governor, a vice governor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, a mayor, vice mayor and eight councilors.
For the barangay election, voters will choose a punong barangay and seven barangay councilmen or kagawads; while registered SK voters will elect one SK chairperson per barangay and seven SK kagawads.
Labaria earlier explained that postponing the SK election from February 21 to April 25 this year was actually just a means for the leeway while then waiting for the action of the President on the Bills approved by the Senate and a similar measure from the House of Representatives.
The Senate has been poising to pass the SK Reform Bill prior to the synchronized barangay and SK elections.
Comelec-Bohol already expected the recent postponement of SK elections, considering the public clamor for reform of the youth sector’s
Even by early this month, Comelec offices in different areas of Bohol already identified and readied the polling precincts as identified by the local election officers.
They have also determined by then the number of board of election tellers needed and the personnel to serve have been identified already.
Also by then, Comelec-Bohol already checked the areas and the ballot boxes have been complete already.
When the schedule for the SK election nears, Comelec-Bohol issue the list of designated areas for the candidates’ posters, according to Labaria.
The election officers in every area will identify the designated areas for posters which are usually beside the barangay hall or the public market—whichever is at the vantage point for exposure to the people.
However, as of the moment, Comelec-Bohol set the preparations for the national election first.