Hasten reforms on SK, nat’l lawmakers urged

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has challenged national legislators to hasten the reforms needed on the Sangguniang Kabataan law.

“The reform should be made as soon as possible. Not nga mura ta’g nagduwa lang sa mga batan-on nga naglaum naay election ron tuiga. Wa pay klaro nga balaud nga it should be on 2016 October together with the Barangay Elections,” said Councilor Sisinio Andales, chairperson of the Cebu City Youth Development Council.

“…challenging senate and congress to be serious on this matter because our youth is really looking up for SK reform,” he added.

The SK elections was originally scheduled in October 2013 but was postponed to February 21 this year through Republic Act 10632 to allow Congress to legislate reforms.

However, due to pending legislations, the Commission on Elections once again moved the elections to April 26.

Under the law, the Comelec has the discretion to determine the date of the SK elections between October 28, 2014 and February 23, 2015.

Andales pointed out that the appropriate age bracket for SK is 18 to 21 years old because “they could be bound to their acts being of legal age.”

Among the proposed changes in the youth representation system are: the adjustment of the age bracket of youth officials to 18-24 years old; provisions for fiscal autonomy and a mandatory training program; the enforcement of anti-dynasty provisions; and, the creation of the Local Youth Development Council, composed of youth leaders from various sectors.

Last Monday, the Senate passed on the third and final reading the bill seeking reforms on the current system of the Sangguniang Kabataan.

In a Rappler report, among the provisions proposed under the Senate Bill 2401 is the anti-political dynasty which prohibits the relatives of any public official up to second degree of consanguinity from running for SK office.

Other mechanisms of the proposed measure are the expansion of age ceiling for would-be members of the youth council from the current 15 to 17 years old to 18 to 27, and conduct of mandatory leadership training, and creation of a local youth development council.

Senator Bam Aquino who chairs the Senate Committee on Youth explained that the reform in age range will enable more participation from the youth and give the officials more independence in their affairs such as signing of contracts and disbursing fund.

The House of Representatives, on the other hand, had its counterpart bill approved by its Committee on Local Government last month.

The SK elections are supposedly set on April 25, but the Congress has approved a bill postponing the youth council elections anew to the last Monday of October next year, in sync with the barangay elections.

The enrolled bill that seeks to reset the SK elections is now awaiting the President’s signature for it to become a law. — (FREEMAN)