‘Why just SK?’ - Kabataan Partylist Eastern Visayas

Youth representation reiterates point: reform not abolition

By Kabataan Partylist - EV
August 3, 2013

TACLOBAN CITY – “Why not include the whole Sangguniang Barangay? Or the whole Congress for that matter? Or even the ones who call for its abolition – the COMELEC?” Mark Simbajon, Representative for Eastern Visayas of Kabataan Partylist, on the issue of SK abolition.

“If the whole point of abolishing the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) is grounded on the points of corruption and inefficient governance, why single out the SK?” he continued.

Simbajon explained that it is rather “fishy” that the COMELEC and their supporting members of the Congress on the SK abolition is pouring it all on the SK when there are a lot more other bodies flanged with the issues of corruption and inefficient governance as well.

“Take for example the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) issue with the Congress; and for the Sangguniang Barangay, not all are truly efficient in their governance – just the note that the SK is like this, and it is only a considerable microcosm of the Sangguniang Barangay and other higher government formations,” Simbajon continued.

“We see this ‘fishiness’ as a way of the national government to consolidate power in the Barangay level, by providing more funds – since the fund supposedly allotted for the SK will now be directly accessible by the Sangguniang Barangay.”

“It is also because of this that we deem the abolishing of the SK to be extreme and unnecessary; rather, we reiterate our longstanding point that what it needs is reform,” Simbajon added.

“Reform and restrengthening because, yes, we agree that the SK is mired with flaws right now, but these flaws are not enough grounds to shut the voices of our youth.”

Simbajon pointed that the representation of the youth in the totality of the government, even with the SK, is still minimal: only the Kabataan Partylist in Congress, the SK in the LGUs, and nothing more; thus to abolish the SK would be almost equal to shutting their voices up.

“And to do so is to go against the constitution: Art. II, Sec. 13, Philippine Constitution of 1987 gives the State responsibilities to promote the well being of the youth, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs,” Simbajon explained.

Simbajon also explained that statistically speaking, the youth comprise roughly two-thirds of the total population of the country and not to have enough representation from this roughly two-thirds of the constituents would also result in questionable good-governance.

“On the other hand, as elders, guardians, or parents, when your child commits a mistake, you do not just easily send them to exile; instead, you try to correct them, teach them, and this, we believe, is what is supposed to be done,” Simbajon continued.

Simbajon pointed that as a measurement of their claim for the SK reform, Kabataan Partylist has filed in 15th Congress H.B. 1963 or the SK Reform and Restrengthening Bill.