President Duterte has signed a law providing honorarium and other benefits, including class exemptions and health insurance, to the members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
Republic Act (RA) No. 11768 stated that SK members, including the treasurer and the secretary, shall receive a monthly honorarium, in addition to any other compensation that they are getting presently. But it must not exceed the monthly compensation received by the SK chairperson nor exceed the 25 percent of the SK funds.
Local government units may also provide additional honorarium as well as social welfare contributions and hazard pay to their SK chairperson and appointed members through local ordinance.
RA 11768 amended parts of RA 10742, including its provision which granted only the SK chairpersons honorarium.
The law also said SK members are exempted from taking any components of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) and can be excused from attending their regular classes, if they go to school, while attending their regular or special SK meetings and sessions.
"A certification of attendance shall be issued by the Sangguniang Kabataan secretary attested by the Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson and duly noted by the Punong Barangay and shall be submitted to the concerned faculty member and the dean of the educational institution as proof of attendance," the law signed May 6, 2022 read.
The law further stated that SK members shall be provided with state-run Philippine Health Insurance coverage and entitled to the appropriate Civil Service Commission eligibility based on their years of service.
Within their first three months in the office, SK members shall formulate a three-year rolling plan to be known as "Comprehensive Barangay Youth Development Plan."
Those who want to become members of the SK must be 18 to 24 years old before being qualified, among others.
Meanwhile, those who will be appointed as SK treasurer and secretary must be 18 to 30 years old. The treasurer must have an educational background related to business administration, accountancy, finance, economics or bookkeeping.