The last SK polls?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Close on the heels of the recent elections where both the officials of the barangays and those of the Sangguniang Kabataan, or youth council of this government unit were chosen, comes the report that the October 29 polls may be the last one for the SK.

The disclosure came from Senator Aquilino Pimentel, who said that this is because the proposal to abolish the youth group, intended to represent their sector in the government is now being seriously considered by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Pimentel, who authored the Local Government Code that had provided for the creation of the SK, now sadly admits that feedback they have received from all over the country has confirmed that the youth organization has lost its usefulness to the community.

Pimentel pointed out, and with good reason, that many, with few exceptions, of the so-called youth leaders are still studying and have to leave their barangays to go to schools in the towns or cities, or even to other provinces. Also, he admitted, at the required ages of between 15 and 18, the SK leaders are still too young to participate in serious discussions about governance.

Furthermore, Pimentel also said, the SK concept has exposed the student leaders early to the malpractice of politics, and that makes them susceptible to dishonest and corrupt practices, especially in handling funds allotted to them.

Pimentel did not mention the compensation that such youth leaders receive from the government which is quite a sizable amount that could go into more vital projects for the barangays. For 2008, for instance, no less than P5 BILLION is supposed to go to the SKs. No wonder some of the students who ran in the recent election for SK membership guilelessly admitted that they want to be there for the money!

There are many other ways in which young people can help build their communities and participate in its activities. But it should be in the spirit of volunteerism and patriotism, and not to get money from the government, without rendering commensurate services.*