TACLOBAN CITY- Extending until 30 years of age for one to be considered as eligible as an SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) would entail a long legal process. Thus said lawyer Jose Nick Mendros, regional director of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), when asked on his stand on the proposal to widen the age requirements for one to be considered as an SK. Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos filed a resolution extending the age requirements for the SK up to 30 years old from the present 15 to 17 years old.
According to Mendros, if the proposal of Sen. Marcos will be considered, this will take a long process as Congress has to amend the law on age requirement for the SK. On top of this, the age requirement for one to run for a local post like mayor or even governor has also to be amended considering that even a 22 year old could run for a local post, Mendros said. The Comelec regional director, however, said that he personally believes that for one to be eligible as an SK, the age requirement must be from 15 to 25 years old. Increasing the age requirements for SK members to 25 years old would result to wider range of choices for youth leaders, Mendros explained.
“If we want to increase the age of SK to 30 years old therefore we need to amend the law that allows for a person to run for elective position like on local chief executive position by also increasing their age to above 30 years old,” he added. Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, meantime, said that while their council continue to function even without a representative from the SK, he still want to see one saying that they are better situated to really know the needs and concerns of the young sector they represents. During the recently listing up for the SK, there are now 220,416 eligible voters for the youth elections slated on February 21, 2015. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
