Thousands can’t vote in barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan elections

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections has shut the door on thousands of young people who failed to beat the 5 p.m. deadline to register for the upcoming Sangguniang Kabataan and barangay elections yesterday.

Election officer Edwin Cadungog told The Freeman they could not extend the deadline without permission from the Comelec central office in Manila.

"We are only implementers sa unsa'y policy sa Comelec. We are not the Comelec but we are only part of the Comelec. Kung wa'y resolution or memorandum from the central office nga dili muhatag og extension, dili pud ta mu-extend. Pag-abot sa oras nga ihatag nga kutob ra anang orasa, which is 5 o'clock, dili na pud ta musubra except kato lang naapil sa cut-off," Cadungog said.

Comelec Regional Director Rafael Olano confirmed that the central office did not extend the deadline.

Cadungog contended the registrants should not have waited for the last minute to register.

"Naay panahon nga first few days sa first week wala gyuy tawo kaayo, 300 lang, 200… karon, muabot sobra sa libo nga di na makaya ang tanan," he said yesterday.

He explained that they can only accommodate 250 applicants a day per computer.

"Ang makaya raman sa atong computer nga mao ray ma-accommodate, 250 a day ra man ang mada sa makina. Unya four ni siya so 1000.

Discontent

Paolo Martin Saberon, chair of the Cebuano Youth Ambassadors, said he tried to negotiate with the Comelec to extend the deadline but to no avail.

"Hingsulod ko sa office sa Comelec and I asked them why they are limiting the numbers of registrants… ana sila nga they only have four computers daw and each computer can only accommodate 200. For us, it's a bullshit explanation considering this is a highly urbanized city and the number of schools that we have here, daghan kaayo sa mga high school and we expect na during Saturdays, mas daghan ang willing nga mu-register kay they could not get out of their schools to register. Pag-abot nila diri, it's already closed," Saberon said.

He said the Comelec should have anticipated the influx of registrants, considering SK elections will resume only this year.

"We have been campaigning for more young people to be more involved sa atong gobyerno and here comes Comelec, they are not prepared, palpak kaayo!" Saberon said.

Several of those who failed to register described the Comelec as "paasa."

"Bati kaayo hunahunaon na 15 days lang ang timeframe sa SK… Comelec failed to disseminate the information. Ingon sila nga gipagawas nila sa balita, sa radio, but that's not enough," Saberon said.

  "For how many years, hilom kaayo ang youth, wala ta'y youth programs and projects kaayo, even ang Cebu City Youth Development Commission dili siya ingon ana ka inclusive because there's only one representation, this time this is a great avenue, an opportunity to encourage more young people to join the government," he added.

Some registrants have urged the Comelec to consider online registration next time.

"Mas maayo pa nga nagpa-online registration nalang sila (Comelec) or nag-school to school sa pag-distribute sa form ba. Nagdugang unta silag personnel nga adto unta sa school kay pareha ana karon nga nagkandarapa na," said Ainee Kho, 32, from Urgello Cebu.

Politics?

 Meanwhile, Lenbi Laborte, president of the Cebu City Student Council Federation, said the distribution of registration forms was 'politicized.'

 "Ang registration forms, naay uban gipanghatag sa barangay, gipa-xerox. Here comes ubang barangay naay gipang-scout nga ilang aspirant for SK officials. Ilang gi-politicize maong limited ra kaayo ang gipanghatagan sa SK registration form," Laborte said. (FREEMAN)