Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo believes the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections should not be postponed again because this would deny citizens their choice of leaders.
Robredo, an opposition leader, noted the democratic process in the conduct of elections, where the people can make their voices be heard.
“Ang eleksyon kasi hindi lang itong simpleng pagluklok di ba, hindi lang siya simpleng pagluklok ng nga opisyal sa posisyon pero isa itong democratic process na pinapakinggan 'yung boses ng lahat (An election is not only simply electing an official to a post but it is a democratic process where the voices of everyone are being heard),” she said.
A youth participant of last Monday’s RizaLeni online meet-and-greet event raised a question about another possible postponement of the barangay and SK elections.
This event, organized by the Robredo People’s Council, gave Vice President’s supporters a platform to discuss with her the most pressing issues in Rizal province.
The presidential aspirant, in a reply, said that a new law needs to be passed by Congress to defer once more the barangay and SK elections.
In November 2021, Davao Oriental Rep. Joel Almario filed a House Bill seeking the postponement of the Barangay and SK elections to May 2024, citing the need for continuity in the delivery of government services during the pandemic.
Robredo highlighted the importance of the SK, noting that is a “training ground” for the country’s future leaders.
READ: PH needs youth to build a better normal—Robredo
A former Camarines Sur representive, she was one of the principal authors of the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Law.
During the online meeting, Robredo said that she wants to put a premium on the youth sector by teaching them good leadership practices instead of abolishing the SK.
“Babalik tayo sa (Let us go back to) in the first place, bakit nagkaroon ng SK Law? Nagkaroon ng SK Law kasi gusto natin na (why did we pass the SK Law? We have an SK Law because want it to be a) training ground for future leaders. Di ba, 'yun naman 'yung pinakasadya? So, kung ang reklamo natin hindi marunong gumastos ng pera 'yung ibang SK, eh di, tulungan natin (that’s our objective, right. So, if our complaint is there are other SK leaders who don’t know how to spend money, let us help them instead),” she said.
Aside from the youth sector, she also vowed to strengthen support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which is already a priority under her office’s Sustainable Livelihood and Training Program.
Thousands of viewers attended the RizaLeni meet and greet event that was aired live on Facebook.
Joining them were Rizal Vice Governor Reynaldo “Junrey” San Juan Jr. and Provincial Board Member Dino Tanjuatco, among others.