Sarangani Rep. Rogelio Pacquiao, younger brother of Sen. Manny Pacquiao, has filed a bill that intends to dispel the Sangguniang Kabataan's reputation for uselessness.
Pacquiao sponsored before the Committee on Youth and Sports Wednesday House Bill (HB) No.1815 or the proposed Act Institutionalizing the Conduct of Summer Youth Camps on the Barangay Level.
"The creation of the Sangguniang Kabataan or SK manifests our government’s confidence in the potential contribution of the youth in society. Yet we know the SK remains an experiment in governance that has yet to prove itself as detractors have noted several instances of inefficiency, corruption, and lack of coherent program of action," Rep. Pacquiao said in his speech.
He offered to remedy the situation by providing youth councils nationwide "a clear and uniform task which shall be their annual minimum performance."
"This bill institutionalizes the conduct of summer youth camps in the barangay level pursuant to our constitutional duty of pursuing the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of the youth and inculcating in them patriotism and nationalism," he said.
"This bill therefore aims to hit two bills with one stone: it saves the SK from negative perception that it does not deliver anything beneficial to its constituents and at the same time providing them with fitting and enabling programs," Rep. Pacquiao added.
He said the proposal ensures that the youth in every barangay would be given appropriate trainings to develop their skills and help them identify and develop their talent in sports.
"The SK shall spearhead the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the summer youth camps in their respective jurisdictions. The National Youth Commission (NYC)...in close coordination with the SK, shall develop the modules on sports development and leadership," explained the Sarangani congressman.
NYC Undersecretary Ryan Enriquez, an invited resource person in the virtual hearing, aired his support the measure.
"Ito din po ‘yung magandang maka-iwas sa mga kabataan sa drugs, sa juvenile delinquency, and promote team-building and camaraderie sa mga Katipunan ng Kabataan sa barangay (This is a good way for the youth to avoid drugs, juvenile delinquency, and promote team-building and camaraderie among the Katipunan ng Kabataan in the villages)," Enriquez said.
Also giving positive feedback on the Pacquiao bill was Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who, like the author, is a Mindanaoan.
"A summer camp would be very important to molding the character, the preparation of our youth. These are very young people and a summer camp would go a long way in inculcating values...and coherence among the SKs in the barangays," Rodriguez said.
The Deputy Speaker subsequently made a motion to approve the bill, which the panel carried a few minutes later.