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Approval of Sangguniang Kabataan law to reinvigorate barangay youth groups - Angara
Approval of Sangguniang Kabataan law to reinvigorate barangay youth groups - Angara
The new amendments to the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) law is a significant step towards further strengthening the youth body and ensuring its continued relevance for the years to come, Senator Juan Edgardo ‘’Sonny’’ M. Angara said today, Jan. 5.
As the principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill 2124, Angara said he expects to see greater participation by the country’s youth in the development of the country with their development as future leaders through the SK.
The Senate has ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of SB 2124 and House Bill 10698, paving the way for its transmittal to Malacañang for signing by President Duterte.
“It has been six years since RA 10742, or the SK Reform Act, was enacted and with these improvements that we introduced, we are optimistic the SK system will remain relevant as a tool to foster the growth and development of the Filipino youth as future leaders of the country,” Angara, chairman of the Senate Youth committee, said.
Under the bill, SK members, secretaries and treasurers will now be granted a monthly honoraria, charged against the SK funds.
At present, only the SK chairpersons are entitled to honoraria by virtue of their status as ex-officio members of the Sangguniang Barangays.
A cap of 25 percent was placed on the use of the SK funds for personnel services or the salaries and allowances of the members, which according to Angara would ensure that “the bulk of the budget allocated to the SKs will go to programs and projects that will benefit the youth.”
As agreed upon in the bicameral conference meeting, the use of the SK funds should be prioritized for programs, projects and activities that will promote and attain the thrusts of the Philippine Youth Development Plan such as health, education, environment, global mobility, active citizenship, governance, social equity and inclusion, peace building and security, human rights, gender equality and economic development.
Among the programs and projects identified under the bill are the provision of student stipends, food, book and transportation allowances; sports and wellness projects; skills training, summer employment, on-the-job training and livelihood assistance; projects promoting the participation of the youth and their initiation in agricultural, fishery, and forestry enterprises; programs and activities that address context-specific and intersectional vulnerabilities of young people; and capacity building for grassroots organization and leadership.
Apart from the mandated honoraria under the law, Angara said the local government units are also allowed to provide additional honorarium, as well as social welfare contributions and hazard pay, to the SK chairperson, the elected and appointed members through their own local ordinances.
The bill also amended the qualifications for the SK treasurer, who is now required to have an educational or career background in business administration, accountancy, finance, economics or bookkeeping and must be a bonded officer.
Angara said the age range for the SK treasurer, as well as the SK secretary, was also expanded to 18 to 30 from the previous 18 to 24 so that there will be a bigger pool of candidates from which the SK will appoint these key officers.
The bill exempts SK officials from taking any of the components of the National Service Training Program.
SK officials will also be entitled to the appropriate Civil Service Eligibility, provided that they have rendered their full terms of office.
A Local Youth Development Officer must be appointed within a year of the effectivity of this law.
The LGUs may appropriate no less than one percent of its annual budget to fund the Local Youth Development Office, which would be used for the implementation of the Local Youth Development Plan, convening meetings of the concerned Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan and Local Youth Development Council, and for its other operational requirements.
Angara thanked his colleagues Sens. Ramon Revilla Jr., Imee Marcos and Nancy Binay, who all filed similar bills to reform the SK system, and to Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros who also provided valuable inputs in the crafting of the measure.
“We must continue to strive to promote the development of our youth and provide them with the opportunities to grow and prosper. The SK will continue to exist as partners of government in attaining these goals,” he said.