Sangguniang Kabataan (1)…a closer look

18 July 2013

The news that a Comelec official, early this month, mentioned that they may formally ask Congress to abolish the Sanguniang Kabataan generated a lot of reactions, both positive and negative.

I for one found the move interesting, but somehow not really surprised by the allegation that the SK has been turned into a tool for corruption by unscrupulous local officials. I understand from a news report that the Comelec came to this conclusion on the basis of information that came out from various hearings conducted involving vote buying complaints and fighting among SK members (http:// www. gmanetwork.com/ news/story/316000/news/nation/comelec-exec-wants-sangguniang-kabataan-abolished).

I wondered, however, whether the Comelec’s claim would be enough justification for the abolition of the SK, and this pushed me to take a closer look at this aspect of national governance that in the past deserved only a sort of “glance and a shoulder shrug” from me.

The SK is an offshoot of the Kabataang Barangay which was the first youth council created through a Presidential Decree 684 by then President Marcos on April 15, 1975, and which provided for the organization, in all Barangays, of KB units which were intended to be a venue for the youth’s participation in community affairs, and in expressing their views. The KB units included all Filipinos aged 18 and below and from which a KB Assembly (composed of duly registered members aged 15-18 years) is formed that would elect a 7 man KB Council, the chairman of which would automatically be an ex-officio member of the Barangay Council, and also Chairman of the Committee on Sports and Recreation.

The KB was however abolished sometime in 1986 upon the assumption of then President Cory Aquino and was re-introduced the way we know it now (Katipunan ng Kabataan ng Pilipinas and Sangguniang Kabataan) as as part of the 1991 Local Government Code, RA 7160, and which also mandates that 10% of the general funds of the barangay shall be set aside for the SK (Sec 329). Funds can also be generated through fund-raising activities (Sec 426c), as well as through the collection and receiving of contributions (Sec 433b).

The SK, by the way, is the barangay youth council composed of the officers (1 Chairman and 6 Councilmen) voted into office by the KKP of each Barangay in the country. The KKP, in turn, is composed of all Filipinos aged 15-18 with a residency of at least 6 months in the Barangay. These Barangay SKs, represented by their chairmen, are then organized into town or city SK federations where officers (e.g. this time president, vice president, etc.) are elected among the representative SK Chairmen. The town/city SK federation presidents, following the same process, are then, in turn, organized progressively into provincial (or urbanized city) SK federations and ultimately into the national SK federation, which administers through the SK National Executive board (composed of all the elected regular officers of the Pambansang Pederasyon ng Sangguniang Kabataan) the national operations of the SK.

In the“2001 KK and SK Constitution and By Laws”, the preamble states KKP’s and SK’s purpose as “…uplift[ing] the general welfare of the youth… [through collaboration with government in efforts that would] ultimately lead the youth to achieve a truly free, just, democratic, effective, self-reliant, progressive and most of all, God-abiding and morally upright sector in the Philippine society…” (http://dilgbicol.org/attachments/Related_Laws ___Sk_Constitution_and_By_Laws.pdf).

Stated also in the declaration of principles are the commitments to “… 1)The rule of law; 2) consultative, participatory and democratic attitude; 3) public service above self; 4) The Bayanihan Spirit of the Filipinos; and 5) Total development of the youth.” 

Also under the declaration of principles are stated the following objectives: “ 1.) To establish a nationwide forum for the achievement of the following: a.) To give life, meaning and substance to the constitutional mandate on “Local Autonomy and Decentralization of Powers”; and b.) For ventilation of matters which are Legislative Concerns of the Local Legislative Assemblies; 2.) To bring the Government to the grassroots citizenry, especially the youth and the latter to the government; 3.) To strengthen the rapport, camaraderie and brotherhood among the members of the Katipunan ng mga Kabataan; 4.) To formulate, implement and coordinate activities, projects and programs particularly those that are beneficial to the members of the Katipunan and/or the general welfare of the people; 5.) To promote the development of cooperatives throughout the country in order to uplift the socio-economic condition of the youth and the Filipino people as a whole; 6.) To set up a Foundation for the benefit of the members and their constituents; 7.) To undertake fund-raising projects and activities to support the KK programs and objectives; 8.) To stand for the protection and preservation of the rights, privileges and benefits of the youth; and; 9.) To initiate and support programs that are designed to enhance the social, political, economic, cultural, intellectual, moral, spiritual and physical development of the youth.

Given the above, to my mind, measuring how the SK has fared over the past years (38 years since it was created in 1975, and 21 years since reintroduction in 1991) with respect to its stated purpose, commitments and objectives would be one fair means of determining whether they should, or shouldn’t be abolished, and which will be tackled in part 2 of this article in a subsequent column.

Meanwhile, comments/reactions will be appreciated and can be sent through this writer’s email (sl3.mekaniko@gmail.com) or through this writer’s blog (http://mekaniko-sl3.blogspot.com).