Day 392: Linggo ng Kabataan

Linggo ng Kabataan (Youth Week) is prescribed by the law in R.A. 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, at Chapter 10, Section 439:

“Sec. 439. Observance of Linggo ng Kabataan. - (a) Every barangay, municipality, city and province shall, in coordination with the pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan at all levels, conduct an annual activity to be known as the Linggo ng Kabataan on such date as shall be determined by the Office of the President.

(b) The observance of the Linggo ng Kabataan shall include the election of the counterparts of all local elective and appointive officials, as well as heads of national offices or agencies stationed or assigned in the territorial jurisdiction of the local government unit, among in-school and community youth residing in the local government unit concerned from ages thirteen (13) to seventeen (17). During said week, they shall hold office as boy and girl officials and shall perform such duties and conduct such activities as may be provided in the ordinance enacted pursuant to this Chapter.”

Our barangay also complies with this observance since the beginning of our term.

When should we celebrate Linggo ng Kabataan?

Well, I have the same question before. Let me invite your attention to read the Proclamation No. 99 dated November 23, 1992, which amended Proclamation No. 56, signed by the President Fidel V. Ramos. In this document the former president moved every celebration of Linggo ng Kabataan on every second week of December. That has been the practice ever since.

What are your activities during the celebration?

We are doing various activities but during our celebration in 2010, we only did “Laro ng Lahi”. Our 2011 celebration was way different compared to the previous year.

We did mainstream activities, i.e., we did competitions, for the 29 puroks in our barangay. Literary and Academic competitions, Arts and Technology contests, and Laro ng Lahi are what encompasses the “mainstream activities”. But we did not limit ourselves to competitions.

We created three nights. This means that our “formal” celebration lasted for 3 days and nights. Formal because days before there were already screenings going on, applications, listing for the competitions, meetings and a whole bunch of preparations. As we continue, those three nights are the Cultural Night, Evangelical Night and the Sumbanan Awards Night.

The winning group of the Hand-Mime competition during the Evangelical Night.

Our Cultural Night is posed to invite cultural communities in our barangay as well as giving opportunity to them and other young people to showcase talents, folk dances as such. Our Evangelical Night is more concerned with the local churches in our area. During this night we have bands playing and tambourine dances. Last year we had a Hand-mime competition participated by both Evangelical and Catholic churches. Ultimately we have our Sumbanan Awards Night. This night recognizes exemplary young people in our barangay. This night is also the awarding and concluding program for the whole celebration.

You don’t follow the law then?

You mean letter (b) of Sec.439? If you look at it more closely it said “local government unit” and we are in the barangay level. LGUs I believe are those in the offices in the city level. Even our SK Federation executes Linggo ng Kabataan liberally just like having a Caroling-for-a-Cause alone since the city already have a program in line with the concept of the said provision of R.A. 7160, Chapter 10, Sec. 439, (b).

Problemo? No Problemo!

So, you have already planned your activities but right on the spot nobody took action to participate. You already did tedious information dissemination and meetings, and you extended your deadlines just to cater your constituents. NO PROBLEMO! But you have budgeted prizes and honorarium for the judges already. NO PROBLEMO! But it was already approved in our session. NO PROBLEMO!

One part of our competition during the Linggo ng Kabataan is the “Clean and Green” where each Purok Sangguniang Kabataan, the Katipunan ng Kabataan, should have a community vegetable garden in their purok hall or elsewhere around their purok; and they should also have a good garbage management. But nobody responded and not even one purok took an effort.

Right on the day of the judging the judges held no winner.

Of course, as the SK Chairman or the Green Brigade Committee Chairman, you have to explain the cause of the abortion of the activity to the earliest event where the KKs were at their greatest number.

Don’t worry with the budget if they are not used. It will just return to your fund. I hope you will not insert auto-names to those activities just to get the money for personal use. For the judges, they were so considerate that since they have not achieved their purpose they decline any honorarium. We just shared to them snacks.

With the resolution, you may or may not revise it, as the need arises. We did revise it.

IDEAS!

1. If I may suggest for the barangay Sangguniang Kabataan members, or you happen to know someone who is in the office, structure your programs and activities for this celebration in such a way that if you were the participant it would make you motivated and responsive.
2. Do have a theme. Last year we concentrated on the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs. Our theme last year was “Tayo, Tayo Rin”. 
3. Work inside your means. I speak money here. Unless you have a vast pool of resources aside from your SK budget, you can be more adventurous. Though I suggested working inside your means, let it not limit you.
4. Do Music Video competitions and the classic board games such as Scrabble and Word Factory. Believe me, others would see odd but many would certainly ride in.
5. Apply the Scripps Spelling Bee ruling in your spelling contest. You will invite nerdy young people in your barangay/city/province.
6. Do the fad contests such as the Pinoy Henyo, etc, etc.

Any more words?

Be creative and let not accounting constraints limit your wishful thinking. We even did fireworks during the last night and we hired a Photo Booth, a result of outsourcing.

How do you do your Linggo ng Kabataan? I hope you will share and let others know of your vitality.