CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The National Youth Commission (NYC)-10 reminded all Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to celebrate “Linggo Ng Kabataan,” or a week of youth or the International Youth Day, every August 12 through a series of activities for the youth as stipulated in Republic Act (RA) 10742, now amended with RA 11768.
Karenne Añover, NYC-10 head, shared in Talakayan sa PIA up close and personal that SK have a lot of roles and responsibilities that they really need to perform.
SK’s composition includes the SK Chairperson, SK Members, secretary, and treasurer, aged 18 to 24 years old. “They are the young leaders nga gina train unsa bay trabaho gyud sa (being trained on the actual work of) government as an official,” Añover said.
Under RA 11768, otherwise known as the “Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015,” an act strengthening the Sangguniang Kabataan, institutionalizing additional reforms to revitalize youth participation in local governance, and by providing honorarium, other benefits, and privileges, within three months from their assumption to office, the SK shall formulate a three-year rolling plan, which shall be known as the Comprehensive Barangay Youth Development Plan, which shall serve as the basis in the preparation of the Annual Barangay Youth Development Plan (PYDP) and other Local Youth Development Plan in every level, municipal, city, and provincial.
“So, sila naman ang mu-draft sa ilang budget, sila ang mu-implement sa ilang program. Sila pud ang mag-ensure nga ila pong mapahibalo sa tanan nilang constituents ang ilahang mga gipanghimo and ila pud ma-report ang unsa ba ang gigamitan nila sa ilang mga pundo,” she said.
(So, they will draft their budget; they will implement their program. They will also ensure that their funds will be informed to all their constituents about what they have done, and they will also be able to report what they are using their funds for.)
Añover shared that as NYC, their mandate is policy coordinating in all institutions, programs, and activities in all governments; meanwhile, they act as the national secretariat of the SK.
“We are helping SK to create policies. So, daghan kaayo og policies na ginabuhat through consultative meetings. So, isa sa mga policies nga na-incorporate sa laws sa SK is the creation of a local youth development office,” she said.
(We are helping SK to create policies. So, there are many policies that are made through consultative meetings. So, one of the policies that have been incorporated into the laws of SK is the creation of a local youth development office)
Meanwhile, Allyn Peñalosa, head of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Youth Development Office, shared major challenges in the new SK law that require bigger responsibility for the SK.
Furthermore, she explained that before, they were still dependent on their barangay council, especially in releasing their funds, but now they all have to do it on their own.
“Sa una man gud murag ma-ilhan lang nga ang Sangguniang Kabataan is siguro pa basketball, pa pageant, karon kay daghan na gyud kinahanglan tutukan. So, mura nagyud sila og mini barangay council, very mini LGU. So, dagko nagyud kaayo og goals atung mga Sangguniang Kabataan officials,” she added.
(In the past, Sangguniang Kabataan was simply deemed to be recognized with activities only having to do with basketball—still a pageant—but now there are many things that need to be focused on. Therefore, they can be compared to a smaller version of the barangay council or a much smaller version of the Local Government Unit (LGU). So, Sangguniang Kabataan officials have big goals.)
Despite the many responsibilities and complexities of the revised SK law, at the end of the day, this sector will have a very big impact on our future, that is why it will always be worth it, and somehow these SKs will be turned into really good leaders, really compassionate and patriotic leaders, Peñalosa said. (JMOR/PIA-10)
