Youth Congress releases official election results

By Marian A. Maraya

Staff Reporter

The Youth Congress successfully conducted runoff elections Monday for two precincts where write-in candidate Joaquina B. Salas of precinct no. 3 and certified precinct no. 5 candidate gained majority of votes.

The Legislative Bureau also released yesterday official results of the 3rd CNMI Youth Congress elections held last Sept. 18 certified by House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta.

Results of precinct level polls list incumbent Youth Congress Speaker Angel Demapan, incumbent youth senator Luis Dlg. Guerrero, and Manuel Tenorio Jr. for precinct no. 1; incumbent youth floor leader Ramona Concepcion for precinct no. 2, Eulalia S. Villagomez and Caroline Christine P. Fitial for precinct no. 3; Dane Palacios for precinct no. 4; and Maryanna Mendiola for precinct no. 6 as the candidates who gathered the most votes.

Incoming youth senators for the school level also include Pedro Kakuse of Calvary Christian Academy, incumbent youth senator Joshua Blalock of Grace Christian Academy, Aileen Ada of Marianas Baptist Academy, Keoni Dlg. Ichihara and Alisa Ann Torres of Marianas High School, Colleen Macduff of Mount Carmel High School, incumbent youth senator Frances Somorang of Northern Marianas Academy, Margaret Ashlee Tenorio, Absinthe Algaier, and Carmen Sablan of Northern Marianas College, Jeannette Sablan of Tinian High School, and Tanya M. Taisacan of Rota High school.

Next month the fresh slate of successful candidates will be installed for a year-long term under the 3rd CNMI Youth Congress.

Legislative Bureau officials call the recent polls the most successful Youth Congress elections since the youth organization’s inception three years ago, with around 1,200 youth voters participating in the annual activity.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Bureau and incumbent Youth Congress senators are still pushing for the passage of a pending legislation seeking to overhaul the law that created the Youth Congress.

Administrative Officer Mike Evangelista expressed support to amend the law which only allows youth senators to hold sessions once every three months.

“We are hoping that the senators can meet once month so they can hold more legislative sessions. This would give us a momentum to build up the interest of the kids, and public education. . .to keep the Youth Congress in the limelight,” said Mr. Evangelista.

He stressed that more regular sessions would translate to more actions on the part of the youth leaders.