Monday, February 16, 2015


TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, February 11 (PIA)—The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) en banc resolution which has pegged the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections this April 25, may not even nail the final date of the polls. 

This too as many believe an election ins April would be too costly for the country. 

At least, even Provincial COMELEC supervisor Atty. Eliseo Labaria was candid to hint that everything which takes effect after the Comelec en banc Resolution 9930 issued weeks ago, may have to step aside for a presidential action on House Bill 5203. 

Atty Labaria means the Comelec en banc resolution which pegs the SK elections in April 25 of this year, could provide the necessary time for the president to sign another bill emanating from both houses which proposed for a synchronized SK and Barangay Elections in the last Monday of October 2016. 

Both houses of the Senate and House of Representatives came up with separate bills proposing for SK reforms, and while both have still minor differences, what is common is for the synchronized SK and barangay polls in 2016. 

On this, observers believe passing this at the bicameral screening committee may be a breeze as senate and lower house versions are now reflected in the bill. 

Besides, at a Kapihan sa PIA forum, Atty. Labaria admitted that putting a separate SK elections would cost the Comelec handsomely. 

Running separate SK elections from the barangay polls would be costly as the COMELEC would still be using the same machinery they would need to run ordinary elections, Atty. Labaria said. 

That means, at a much lesser number of young voters, COMELEC could be disrupting classes for the teachers would be rendering election duties and classrooms could be used still. At least one precinct would be set up in 1107 barangays in Bohol, according to the Comelec. 

Aside from teachers and classrooms possibly used for the polls, the COMELEC would be printing ballots for the elections, which it could again be doing in the barangay elections. 

COMELEC has earlier pegged government savings of up to P900 million, if the SK polls could be simultaneously held with barangay polls. 

The postponement of the SK polls to be synchronized with the Barangay elections in 2016 would be to give time for the Congress or the president to enact a law that will correct the inherent administrative, fiscal, and political defects in the implementation of the SK program. 

While Boholanos have pushed for the abolition of the SK owing to its apparent failure to be a good training ground for effective future leaders. 

Even COMELEC Bohol clued that the SK has been muddled because parents and politicians dip their hands into the sectoral election processes. (RAC/PIABohol)

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