Youth, student groups launch 2010 poll countdown

MANILA, Philippines - Youth and student groups on Saturday launched a countdown to the 2010 elections. “We are aware of numerous initiatives by various sectors to launch voters’ awareness and education projects and we express our desire to cooperate with them. This is our very own countdown to change, initiated by the youth," said Kabataan party-list Rep. Mong Palatino in a statement. Apart from Kabataan, the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (Stand-Up), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Student Christian Movement, League of Filipino Students, Kabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan, Anakbayan and Youth ACT Now (Youth for Truth and Accountability Now) are sponsoring the initiative. Kabataan Partylist kicked off the countdown with a voters’ registration and education campaign dubbed “We Are Change" that aims to reach out to 11 million first-time voters. Palatino said that Kabataan Party will go on conducting campaigns and campus tours. It will also ask the Commission on Elections to extend the voters' registration period from October to December. - Katrina Louise Francisco