Staff reporter
Laoag City—The Ilocano youth are making their presence felt in
Ilocos Norte, using the influence of social media as a tool to engage youth
volunteerism and participation in the next Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in
2015.
In
Ilocos Norte, the provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported at
least 6,731 Ilocanos aged 15 to 17 went in droves during the 10-day SK
registration from September 20 to 29, 2014.
Amidst
super typhoon “Mario” [Fung Wong] that battered Northern Luzon and later put
Ilocos Norte under a state of calamity, the SIRIB youth office of the Ilocos provincial
government Norte manned by the Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association (SIKA) were
able to encourage and inspire qualified SK voters to go to their nearest Comelec
office and beat the September 29 deadline for registration.
Comelec
Region I election director Noli Pipo 1 said in an interview that the SK
registration will not be extended in the province.
The
successful turnout of SK registration in Ilocos Norte may have been attributed
to SIKA’s initiative challenging all qualified SK voters in Facebook to say
“Yes to youth participation” by posting their photos online with their duly
accomplished registration form.
Similar
to the ice bucket challenge, every registered SK will identify and challenge at
least three of his friends to do the same in support of the SK 2015 elections.
Aside
from social media challenge, posters and streamers about the SK registration
period were also posted in strategic places such as in schools and government
buildings.
As
of July 2013, there are about 9,391 who registered for the SK elections.
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