CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Pampanga is urging Kapampangan youth to go out and vote in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023 on October 30.
“The upcoming BSKE gives us a chance to take part in the government. It does not necessarily mean that we all run for public office, but we are given the chance to choose and elect candidates who will best represent our needs and aspirations for our respective localities. As voters, we are entrusting them to deliver what we need as a community,” said Provincial Election Supervisor Lydia Florentino-Pangilinan.
She added that the right to suffrage is related to the concept of democracy and sovereignty.
Pangilinan said this identifies four essential and interlocking rights including the right to take part in the government, right to vote and be elected, the right to equal access to public office, and the right to self-determination.
"It is important to educate the youth so that they are empowered to choose the best and most qualified leaders that can pave the way for them to have a better life in the future. Candidates are applicants to the specific post they are aspiring for. We [voters] are the bosses. With this, we must be thorough and careful in choosing whom we elect,” the provincial Comelec chief added.
Pampanga has a total of 1,646,340 voters for the upcoming BSKE, of which 26,483 are 15-17 years old, who will be given one ballot to vote for the SK elections.
Voters aged 18-30 will be given two ballots for the Barangay and SK elections, while those who are 31 and up will only vote for the barangay elections.
A total of 23,151 candidates in Pampanga filed their COCs.
Of this figure, 1473 will run for punong barangay; 12,210 for barangay kagawads; 1380 for SK chairperson; and 8,088 for SK kagawads.
