Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has welcomed the signing into law by President Benigno Aquino III of a measure deferring the conduct of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this year to the last Monday of October 2016.

Capiz Representative Fredenil Castro, who chairs the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, also said the postponement of the  SK elections was a welcome move because it would give the Congress enough time to introduce reforms to the youth polls.

Castro is a member of the National Unity Party, while Belmonte is the  NUP’s honorary chairman.

President Aquino signed last March 25, 2015 Republic Act 10656, which  resets the SK elections and synchronizes these with the barangay polls next year.

The SK elections were originally  scheduled on October 28, 2013 before Congress reset these to February 21, 2015. The conduct of the February elections, however, was put on hold after the Congress approved a law last Feb. 2, 2015 resetting the polls to October 2016.

Belmonte said the poll postponement will allow the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to focus and fully prepare for the 2016 national and local elections in May 2016.

"With so many positions up for grabs in the coming May polls, the Comelec needs full attention to prepare for and ensure that the elections will be conducted successfully in an honest, orderly and peaceful manner," the Speaker said.

"We are glad that the President has signed into law the proposal to reset the SK polls. The postponement will enable both Houses of Congress to adequately discuss much needed reforms towards a more responsive SK, and which are appropriate amendments to applicable provision of the Local Government Code," he added.