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Let's Do Away with the SK Antonio M. Reyes

By Antonio M. Reyes

If past Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections are indications of the country’s future leadership; we are heading towards the eye of a super typhoon.

For these elections which were meant to prepare our youth for leadership in former President Ferdinand Marcos’s “New Society” have become training grounds for traditional politicians which the candidates for SK positions were supposed to shun. Indeed these exercises were supposed to be non-political and free from bribery, intimidation and influence peddling.

Most of the “winning” candidates in the last SK election however were either the sons, daughters, bedscholars or supporters of current political leaders.

And for those who were shocked by the reported 1,000 peso per vote “chocolates” that were allegedly handed out in the May 2010 elections here should be equally shocked to learn that some candidates in the last SK elections had spent this same amount to buy votes to ensure their victory.

This is why we were happy to learn that COMELEC Commissioner Rene Sarmiento (the only credible member of the commission) had recommended the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan elections claiming it was not good for the youth and was prematurely training them to be “politically combative or crafty. They are learning the tactics of the trade at an early age.”

What Commissioner Sarmiento meant, but could not say, because of his biblical up bringing was that the SK candidates were just aping their parents, meaning; what monkees see - monkees usually do.”

The SK election which is scheduled on October 25, 2010 will elect an SK composed of a chairman, secretary, treasurer and seven other members who will hold office for three years. Each will have to be between the ages of 15 to 21.

Although the SKs are expected to propose relevant projects for the youth and address such issues as corruption, drug addiction, teenage pregnancies, the bedscholars and the out-of-school youth problems all that past SKs have done were to hold sports events and build basketball courts and waiting sheds.

Some SK members did not even attend barangay meetings because they were enrolled in schools in Cebu and elsewhere.

Let’s save our taxpayers hard earned money by abolishing this hypocritical training ground for leaders who will treat us exactly the way we deserve to be treated - like prurient irresponsible citizens who will vote for those who give us more chocolates. Amen?