The SK polls and how the trapos are corrupting the youths

It is always good to train the young for future leadership. The youths are usually idealistic mostly with pure hearts and noble intentions. They want to help the community and make a difference in their student councils, in their fraternities, in their homeowners' associations and in their barangays. That was precisely why the SK was created with the original name of KB or Kabataang Barangay. That was where Senator Imee Marcos launched her political career.

The SK started as a KB and was a Martial Law baby given birth by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. BBM's late father established the KB on April 15, 1975, by the Martial Law expediency of promulgating Presidential Decree 684 pursuant to his powers as a Martial Law dictator, in line with Proclamation 1081, placing the whole country under military rule. His declared purpose was to give youth a chance to be involved in community affairs and to provide the government means to inform the youth sector of the government's development. The KB was actually the martial ruler's youth arm in order to deodorize his dictatorship with some semblance of grassroot democracy. The best evidence that the KB now the SK is just an extension of traditional politics was that the first national chairman of the KB was no other than the eldest child of FM, Imee Marcos, now senator.

After the EDSA revolution in 1986, a study was conducted on the KB and the advisers to President Corazon Aquino recommended abolishing the organization, creating a National Youth Commission (NYC), establishing a National Youth Assembly; and setting up genuine youth representation in government. Youth were consulted and the KB was abolished by the government. President Aquino  established the Presidential Council for Youth Affairs (PCYA) instead of the NYC, and was successful in coordinating with the youth federations to develop future national leaders, but lacked the powers envisioned for the NYC because PCYA merely coordinated with youth groups. A proposal was then crafted by the Congress youth representatives and PCYA's technical committee from 1989 to 1990.

The SK was then incorporated Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, which formally abolished the KB and created the KK or the Kaptipunan ng Kabataan and SK. The KK includes all Filipino citizens, aged 10 to 18 years, who reside in each barangay for at least six months and are registered in the official barangay list. The SK is the governing body of the KK, a set of youth leaders elected by the KK members to represent them and deliver youth-focused services in the barangays. In January 2015, the Lower House unanimously passed an SK reform bill. Among the reforms introduced were raising the age of SK officials from between 15 and 17 years old to between 18 and 21and raising the age of SK voters from between 15 and 17 to between 15 and 21.

What I liked in the reform law initially was the idealistic anti-dynasty provision that forbids candidates from having a relative in public office that is within the second degree of consanguinity, and provisions to increase SKs' fiscal autonomy. Those reform provisions were obviously intended to prevent the trapo barangay officials from prodding their sons and daughters to run for SK posts so that their families could control barangay public funds. But Congress followed it up with another bill postponing the SK elections from February 2015 to 2016. The bill passed and it was signed into law by President Noynoy Aquino. The good intentions were there but it is always the traditional politicians that would shatter the good purposes.

Again, on January 15, 2016, the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act (Republic Act No. 10742) was signed into law which made changes to the SK law. It raised the age of the council from 15 to 17 years old to 18 to 24 years old and forbade individuals from seeking a youth council appointment who are closer than the second degree of consanguinity from any elected or appointed official in the same village. But this is more honored in breach than in compliance. The reform also created a Local Youth Development Council to support the SK programs, composed of representatives from different youth organizations in the community including student councils, church and youth faith groups, youth-serving organizations, and community-based youth groups. But then again, the trapos sabotaged the implementation of these reforms.

President Duterte signed RA 11768 on May 6, 2022, amending certain sections of RA No. 10742, granting additional qualifications and compensation for SK members. This was a midnight legislation of a lame duck president. Now, we are back to square one. BBM's RA 11935 was voided by the Supreme Court in June 2023. This is a case of deja vu. The KB created by BBM's father, and first led by his Manang Imee is now a SK which continues to be corrupted by the trapos today.

Rizal's dream for the youth to become the true hopes of the Motherland has become a big disappointment to the Filipinos. The SK has become the tools of trapos, a big letdown to us who truly understand all these and who genuinely care for the nation and the people. Sayang ang mga Kabataan.