“Palagay ko dapat ipagpatuloy pero wala ng eleksiyon. Puwede namang mangyari ‘yun. Dapat ipagpatuloy ‘yung youth representation sa city or municipality for that matter,” Binay said.
He said SK representatives should instead be appointed by government officials to keep the councils clean.
“Kasi ‘yung mga magulang [ng kandidato ang] gagastos sa election, pagkatapos mahalal, hinahanap niyan kung paano napapasukan. I think hindi naman abolition [ang solusyon]. But, there should always be jurisdiction,” he explained.
Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian echoed Binay’s sentiments at the press conference.
“Personally, I think dapat reform lang [ang mangyari dahil] marami naman tayong leaders na nanggaling sa SK. Pero talagang siguro alam natin marami ring anomalyang nangyari,” Gatchalian said.
He added that anomalies in the SK system start as early as the registration period of elections where a lot of money is involved.
“So, pagdating ng pagpanalo nila, obviously susubukan nilang bawiin ‘yung kanilang ginastos sa kampanya kaya ako ay sumasang-ayon na dapat i-appoint nalang,” Gatchalian explained.
Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. said he also thinks SK representatives should just be appointed instead of totally abolishing the system.
“’Yung sa akin kailangan meron tayong training ng leadership para sa mga kabataan. Pero ‘yung maglilingkod sila mahirap ‘yun. Kami nga may problema, lalo na itong mga bata,” Espino said.
Among the criticisms hurled against the SK is that it exposes the youth to corruption. Elections commissioner Lucenito Tagle said in 2013 that some candidates have even allegedly engaged in poll fraud.
“Ang nakikita namin sa mga protesta na hinawakan namin, nag-aaway lang sila at vote-buying,” Tagle said.
Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon also said in 2013 that although the SK should not be abolished, it should be independent of the barangay council.
“Minsan, ang barangay officials ang nag-uudyok na mangurakot at maging instrumento ng korupsyon ang SK,” he said.
SK elections were postponed late 2013. The youth councils will remain vacant until new officials are elected in polls to be set by the Commission on Elections between October 28, 2014 and February 23, 2015. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News
