EDITORIAL - If reforms fail, it's better for gov't to abolish SK

Since the two chambers of Congress are expected to unite to set aside the Sangguniang Kabataan election this year, the Commission on Elections has decided to reschedule the SK election period.

The new period, from February 6 to March 2, is being made in case Congress finally decides to reschedule the SK election from February 21 this year to 2016 to coincide with the barangay election.

Of the two chambers, only the House of Representatives has approved a bill that reschedules the SK polls. And Comelec is now awaiting the passage of a Senate version on the fate of the youth organization.

To recall, some quarters have been calling for concrete reforms for SK's true development. As they see it, the youth organization has never been a productive force in nation building.

Well, we can't really blame those who remain vocal against the SK. For more than two decades, the organization has never showed its true purpose, seemingly running as a useless government vehicle.

Yes, SK has implemented various youth development programs. But, unfortunately, many of these programs hardly make any impact on the organization for it to evolve into a vital part in national development.

Look, what can the country really expect from a youth organization when, in more than 20 years of its existence, all it did was carry out programs that did not benefit the majority?

This is mainly the reason why many are strongly pushing for true reforms in the organization. But reforming the SK should not only be limited to implementing the usual development programs.

Reforms will only be successful if they include steps delving into the very foundation of the youth organization to see what really went wrong. But if all the reforms prove to be futile, then the government should start entertaining the thought of finally abolishing it.