Thursday, December 06, 2007 5 vie for SK federation top post
FIVE youth leaders, all of them identified with administration party Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, are vying to replace City Councilor Glena Bontuyan as Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation president in today’s election.
One has the upper hand because she is reportedly being endorsed by the incumbent SK federation officials themselves and the mayor’s wife, Margot Osmeña.
Rengel Pelayo of Buhisan, an Alay Lakad scholar taking up nursing at the University of San Carlos, is supported and accompanied in her sorties by federation officials, said Wilma Medalle, mother of Mat Eric Medalle.
Mat Eric, Parian’s SK chairman, visited Mayor Tomas Osmeña after the Oct. 29 synchronized elections and revealed his intention to run for SK federation president.
Aside from Pelayo and Medalle, Jay Harris Arcillo of Barangay Busay, Jam Puerto of Day-as and Doren Canasa of Mabini are also reportedly eyeing the position.
The SK federation president sits as an ex-officio member, representing the youth, in the City Council.
“I hope they will be given the chance in a fair and honest election…When they went to one chairman to campaign, the SK federation officials joined Rengel,” Wilma Medalle told Sun.Star in an interview.
“During the orientation, Glena said she will be fair to everyone. Pero gi-endorse niya ang taga-Buhisan (But she has endorsed the candidates from Buhisan),” she added.
Wilma said her son was unfairly accused of being brash and boastful because he presented himself before the mayor.
“My son stands for a cause, which was why he ran for the SK. But he is now being branded as a braggart for what he did,” she said in Cebuano.
Bontuyan could not be reached for comment yesterday. Margot, on the other hand, was in Hong Kong and declined to grant a long- distance interview.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu City Director Patricio Gabuya, in a separate interview, said the SK federation election is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
But the 80 Cebu City SK chairpersons are meeting as early as 8 a.m. for an orientation.
They stayed for the past two days in a local hotel for the Integrated Sangguniang Kabataan Organizational, Leadership and Reorientation Program Basic Orientation Seminar (Iskolar BOS) organized by the DILG and Bontuyan’s office.
The National Youth Commission is expected to send a representative to observe the election.
Cebu City north district Commission on Elections Officer Marchel Sarno will also serve as one of the board of election supervisors.
Gabuya said that the SK chairpersons will first nominate the candidates, who will then get the chance to introduce themselves and reveal their platforms.
They will then vote by secret balloting.
Immediately after, the votes will be counted and the winner proclaimed before they pick the federation’s vice president and the other officials in the same manner. (RHM)
