Amidst Mounting Calls for Abolition, SK Should Start Working Good!

A Position Paper on SK Abolition - M

Written by Marlon Cornelio

Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:47 - Last Updated Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:52

There have been persistent calls for the abolition of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Most
Recently, Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr., the author of Local Government Code that reinvented
SK from KB, has been in the fore by filling SB 2155 seeking the abolition of SK. In the 13th
Congress, on the other hand, Sen. Pimentel filled SB 1126 which called for SK reform.

“Abolish SK!” seems to be popular.

  
What are the arguments for SK abolition? One, SK is considered as a breeding ground of
corrupt leaders. Two, SK officials are non-performing (assets) or have insignificant contribution
to the community; most of their projects are building waiting sheds and signages, sports fests
or paliga. Three, SK officials cannot perform their function as they have to attend schools (or
SK officials have to cut schooling just to perform their functions). And four, they are just too
young, easily corrupted and irresponsible.

Marlon Cornelio is the chairman of the Youth Governance and Participation Committee, Youth
and Students Sector of National Anti Poverty Commission (NAPC YS)Who are the proponents
of SK Abolition? The Federation of Students has released a manifesto calling for the abolition
of SKs  claiming that SK officers discard school in exchange for salaries and perks offered by
weekly city, municipal and provincial council sessions (Cabreza, 2007).  Mayors too, according
to Mayor Ramon Guico, League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) president, are for
abolition but “do not openly speak [about the issue] because of political reasons”
(Sotelo-Fuertes, 2007). Senator Pimentel has filled his SK abolition bill in the Senate. Several
SK Abolition bills have also been filled in the House of Representatives.
 
Are there Alternatives to SK?
  Given these arguments are sufficient to abolish SK, what are the alternatives? There are
proposals for total abolition of SKs. These proposals argue that school council/government is a
sufficient venue for the youth to participate in governance and train in becoming the future
leaders of the land. On the other hand, other proposals still see the significance of youth
participation in elections and “actual” governance. Thus, if SK is to be abolished there should
be a replacement mechanism. Senator Pimentel’s SB 2155 proposes for the election of youth

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Amidst Mounting Calls for Abolition, SK Should Start Working Good! A Position Paper on SK Abolition - M

Written by Marlon Cornelio

Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:47 - Last Updated Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:52

councilors instead of the other proposals for mayors/governors to appoint them. This according
to Senator Pimentel would not give opportunity for politicking. Youth representative (councilor)
will be directly elected by their peers at the same time as the city mayors and councilors are
elected.
  
The other side: SK reform.
  
Advocates of SK Reform do not dispute the observations posted by those calling for abolition.
They too see that SKs are not performing; SK has become the breeding ground for new trapos;
SK officials are in a dilemma between going to school or cutting schooling to perform their
function. The difference lies in how to address these problems. They see these as very serious
issues/concerns but not too the point that it merits SK abolition.
  
What are their rebuttals?
  That the SK is a breeding ground for corruption means that the SK officials are not inherently
corrupt. It points out to the fact that the environment to which the SK now is situated is the
one’s causing the breeding of new trapos. The answer therefore is to clean up the environment
and not abolish SK which is ideally a venue for on-the-job training for good governance and
principled leadership for the Filipino youth at the grassroots level. Akbayan has introduced an
anti-dynasty provision in its SK reform bill which most congressmen agree to.
  
That the SKs are non-performing or have insignificant program/projects can be attributed to
the lack of support and guidance they get from their elders. SK was not put up for the youth
officials to live on their own. The SKs do not know their roles and responsibilities and neither do
most of local government officials that limit SKs to beautification and sports projects. There are
model SKs to talk of all over the country, both in rural and urban areas. What is common in
these model SKs is the presence of guidance and support from the local government and
non-governmental organizations.
  
SKs are definitely in dilemma of choosing between attending schools or council sessions. This
problem sprout out after the Congress passed Republic Act 9164 in 2002, which reduced the
age range of KK and SK eligible youth to 15 to below 18 from 21. This has amendment was
made in the bicameral committee without prejudice to the age where which the youth are still in
secondary schools. If the age bracket were higher, the elected SKs would have been in college
and with more control over their schedule and academic load.
  
Finally, those who belittle the young will have to read up more on the role of youth in our
history and nation building. They will have to be refreshed on the International Rights of
Children.
  
What should we do now?
  
There are many proposals to address the problems that the SKs are facing. In the 13th
Congress, there where more than 5 bills both in the House of Representatives and Senate.
These legislative remedies however proved to be arduous. While the battle for abolition for
reform versus abolition was mainly in Congress, SK reform advocates failed to recognize that

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Amidst Mounting Calls for Abolition, SK Should Start Working Good! A Position Paper on SK Abolition - M

Written by Marlon Cornelio

Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:47 - Last Updated Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:52

there are reforms that can be done which will dramatically change the bad face of SK on the
ground. As the problems all point out, and as was found out in the national SK Study funded by
UNICEF and spearheaded by DILG NBOO and NAPC Youth and Students Sector, the SKs
need support and guidance for them to succeed. They need proper orientation on their
functions and how to go about with them. They need trainings and capability/capacity building
programs down at the grassroots level.

The only way for the SKs to stop the mounting calls for abolition is for them to start working
and working good, removing reasons for abolition one by one.

Unfortunately, these needs have never been met. Thus, the reasons for the calls for abolition
remain and just gained momentum. The fight for long-lasting and institutionalized reform in
Congress should continue but it should be coupled with actions on the ground.
  
The SKs can not wait for the legislative reforms. The SKs can not much more wait for it to be
abolished and replaced. The newly elected SKs will be serving for three years. This opportunity
should not go to waste. With this in view, NAPC Youth and Students Sector, along with its
member youth organizations in the grassroots, is piloting capacity and capability training at the
same time working with partners in developing an SK Guidebook.
  
The only way for the SKs to stop the mounting calls for abolition is for them to start working
and working good, removing reasons for abolition one by one. And the SKs need support and
guidance from their communities in doing so.
  
 ----------------
  
References:
  
Cabreza, Vincent. “Student governments urge abolition of ‘non performing’ SK.”

The Philippine Daily Inquirer. September 5, 2007. Available Online:

http://frjessie.wordpress.com/category/students/

Hontiveros-Baraquel, Ana Theresia. “House Bill 0956: An Act to Reform and Strengthen the

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Amidst Mounting Calls for Abolition, SK Should Start Working Good! A Position Paper on SK Abolition - M

Written by Marlon Cornelio

Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:47 - Last Updated Wednesday, 16 April 2008 21:52

Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), Amending for that Purpose Republic Act No. 7160, Otherwise
Known as the Local Government Code of the Philippines and for other Purposes.” The 14th
Congress, House of Representatives, Republic of the Philippines. 2008.

Pimentel, Aquilino. “Senate Bill No. 1126: An Act to Strengthen Sangguniang Kabataan by
Amending Republic Act No. 7160 Known as the Local Government Code of 1991 and for other
Purposes.”  The 13th Congress, Senate, Republic of the Philippines. 2007.
  
Press Release: Abolition of Sangguniang Kabataan Sought. April 13, 2008. Available Online:
http://www.nenepimentel.org

Sotelo- Fuertes, Yolanda. “Mayors back call for SK abolition.“ The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
September 7, 2007. Available Online:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view_article.php?article_id=87153

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), et. al. The Impact of Youth Participation in the
Local Government Process. Philippines, 2007.
 

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