Youth group launches 2010 poll drive
BACOLOD CITY -- Kabataan Partylist formally launched over the weekend a "1-year countdown to 2010 election" by way of encouraging the youth sector to be registered as voters in the upcoming 2010 Presidential Election.
Kabataan Partylist-Negros Regional Coordinator Julius Dagatan said they are now undertaking a massive campaign for the youth to participate in this political exercise because record from the Commission on Election (COMELEC) shows that out of 100 percent total number of youth voters, only 60 percent actually registered and 50 percent cast their votes in last 2007 National and Local Elections.
He recognized the power of the youth that can set the tone and agenda for 2010. "Such is the power of the youth that we can set the tone and agenda for 2010 and with such power, comes that challenge for us to actively assume our rightful role in society as catalyst for change," Dagatan said.
He also appealed to the youth to use their moral sense of appreciation in choosing candidates in 2010 election. "The youth vote comprises almost 20 percent of the entire voting population in the country, despite reports to the contrary, we dispel notions that youth voters make an irrelevant imprint in nation-building, good governance and social change," Dagatan added.
Kabataan Partylist-Negros is very upset the way our politicians treated the youth sector because most of them were not given the task to formulate reforms for the government. Dagatan said that their group had already filled in one seat in Congress last month through their Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymund Falatino as number one nominee. He said that Kabataan Partylist is included in the decision issued by the Supreme Court to fill in their nominee in the House of Representatives. Dagatan said that they will continue to pursue a legislative measure that would grant moratorium on the tuition fee increase and likewise to resolve unemployment problem that the youth now is facing.