Before us, as a nation, is the important issue of whether the Sangguniang Kabataan must be abolished. This is prompted by the public perception that the youth organization has failed to perform its mandate of being the training ground for future leaders of our country. Instead, the continued existence of the SK is met with criticisms of inefficiency, uselessness and worst, that it has succumbed to graft and corruption. It certainly is a sweeping and serious charge to consider SK as nothing but a burden to the Philippine society. In fairness to the youth, and those who have passed through its frontier once, there are those who deserve recognition for having performed well their mandate, in the halls of the Sanggunian, be it at the Barangay level or the local government councils. But of course, there are those who in their youthfulness have failed to reach the expectations of the people. It is important that we must look into the reasons why and how they have reached such point and extent to earn the wrath of certain sectors of our society. It must be borne in mind that the youth, must constantly be under the control and supervision, and care of their parents or guardians. In any endeavor or undertaking that they are tasked to accomplish, those who have the legal and moral obligation to guide them should insure that they are within the bounds of what is right, and what is legal. The moment the youth would fail in their role as nation builders, then those who are care for them must necessarily be partly to blame.
In 1975, April 15 to be exact, the Kabataang Barangay was established. Back then, the organization was met with criticisms. At that time, every Kabataang Barangay unit has no funds of its own, and each is dependent on the Barangay budget which is controlled by the Barangay council. Yet, KB has excelled in its role of being the ground for youth development specifically in sports, leadership and participatory democracy. Today, the ranks of KB prides themselves of former KBs who are now leaders of our country. Many of whom are now elective local and national officials. Others have been appointed to key government positions. They are performing well.
It is certain that the SK can likewise boast of the same accomplishments, and it is clear that it is but a matter of looking into their organizational and operational weaknesses in order that reforms could be introduced. They may include, but not limited to the following:
a) Selection of SK Chairman and officials must not be highly politicized. The old system has been found effective, and that is, through a general assembly convened for the purpose. Rules may be promulgated to insure an orderly conduct of such assemblies. Campaign and elections can be done with during an assembly.
b) The budget of the SK may go through the same process prescribed under existing laws and policies. Expenditures must however be limited to certain significant items, and discretion should be limited or none at all.
c) Qualifications for SK positions should be stricter and those vying for such positions must undergo a certain set of written examinations on values, virtues, ethics and good governance principles.
d) SK officials must be easily replaced or suspended in the event that an adjudication or disciplinary council organized under the law has found erring officials to be probably guilty of an irregularity. The council may be composed of a trial court judge as chairman, and two members whose reputation for probity, integrity and impartiality is beyond refute.
The foregoing are just among the many reforms at could be instituted. Abolition of the SK is not the solution. Our leaders ahead of us have already determined the wisdom and benefits of involving the youth in nation building through a government mandated organization. We cannot now judge and declare that they were wrong. We have an obligation to make it right and not to evade what we are mandated to uphold and support - the development of the youth.
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