Day 258: SK Governance v.1.0

Today, we now officially open the invitation for our summer and post-summer program, aside from the SummerKadahan, the “Sangguniang Kabataan Governance”.

This program aims to equip our young people as future Sangguniang Kabataan officers of our barangay. This will be done without the taints of political color, as what some programs in barangays appear to be. Besides, any barangay government should never adhere to such, not just the SK.

How it came to be?

Last January, a meeting with the barangay SK Officials and Staff was conducted. This was made without the presence of other sectoral entities.

“Preposterous creatures! They haven’t welcomed representations in such pivotal moment.”

Hold your horses. This was made possible because the SK has been collecting inputs from the youth of the puroks, youth NGOs and POs in the barangay the whole of 2012, e.g., in the iLead² and monthly meetings.

To continue, on that meeting we have declared interest to an intentional and educational transition from the current set of officers to the next. On this, we corroborated to hold a program that will help the aspiring young individuals in the barangay who want to become an SK officer, at least, of the basics.

But—but—there won’t be a barangay election this 2013?!!

Who says? In the purest sense of reason, there has been no law that has intervened with the 3-year, as one term, prescription in the RA 7160. That means, whether you like it or really like it, there will be an election on October 2013, at the very moment of this post.

Oppositions

This activity is not done to aid any personalities on their campaign on the Local Elections this May. If it were to serve someone, it would be the young people of Barangay Fatima.

Also, many people, that include employees (and officers?) in our barangay and some random people, ask who would we “toss-up” for the office this upcoming 2013 barangay election. Gladly, our recommendation will be as objective as possible. This program will help us determine capable individuals.

The structure

Each one in the SK is instrumental in every project.

As mentioned earlier, this will cover the basic principles and knowledge in advancing the public office, as in the Sangguniang Kabataan.

The current module will include the topics: The Council: General Provisions, The SK Chairman, SK Committees, Resolution, Parliamentary Procedure, and Budget and Approval; in that order.

As agreed, the day after the opening program will be the first day of lectures. Every afternoon on the three-day stretch will include lectures and making outputs or practicums. But it will not stop there since the whole program will last till September. Moreover, in every 3 modules finished is an exam.

Saturdays will be an activity day, unless specified. This day can include outreaches like tutorial sessions or clean-ups.

When the modules were exhausted, preparations for a final exam will commence. This exam is sought to have included areas like English, Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and the laws relevant to the SK. 

In addition, there will also be public debates. You chairpersons know its purpose. I don’t have to state it.

It would be enough to say that these activities are recorded. This record will provide bases for our long-sought recommendation, and honor to the most capable ones.

Any more words?

On soonest time possible, I will post the qualifications, requirements and reading materials needed by a participant in the Sangguniang Kabataan Governance program.

Day 259: Leadership is "Influence"?

Anyone will always have something to say about leadership. “Leadership is influence.” Many would agree and most of the leadership trainings and seminars I have attended here in the Philippines speak the same. However, if we will settle that leading an organization or people has a plain aim to “influence”, whether ‘good’ or ‘very good’, we’ll get nowhere tangible.

The people we lead, even those who are just passive, wants something to ‘see’. Influence, in a sense, is abstract. Therefore if you want to push on the idea of not doing anything tangible but be content on influencing others, well, negative feedbacks from those ‘eyes’ can overwhelm you. But coming from the same standpoint, we can draw something important about “Leadership is influence” and transpose it to something tangible.

Another perspective

Influencing then should be an investment. Investment should grow and flourish. This should bring out good and can perhaps grow offshoots of the same. Establishing a program to determine such investments, or the people we should greatly influence, can turn out to be something tangible. How? Because, at this point, leaders will now pose to make leaders as well.

Like any investment (1) it needs a great deal of time from you, (2) can cost you [a lot], (3) be attached to your heart, mind, and company.

Here's the problem

In our Sangguniang Kabataan, we sometime go haphazard in these terms. For one, we don’t appropriate programs to create leaders, OR though we have the programs already, our constituents’ responses are seasonal. Though the latter may be the reason, we must pursue.

The least

More so, the 2013 barangay elections is at hand. If you can identify, my kagawads and I would not want to create the same groping-in-the-dark moments to those who will come after us. That is why in the last days of the Sangguniang Kabataan for this term, we will devise a program, a dedicated moment, for those interested to run in the office the next term.

DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD EXTEND OUR TERM? Click here.

So far, what we have is a proposal laid on the table (technically speaking). Our Punong Barangay, who at the same time acts as the Sangguniang Kabataan’s adviser, demanded us modules to be used for the meetings.

Some of the topics we aim to discuss are:

1. Functions of the Sangguniang Kabataan
2. Functions of the Chairman, and as ex-officio
3. Functions of the SK Kagawad
4. Budget, Allocation, Appropriation
5. Limitations of the SB towards the SK

Hilarious! We even intend to title the above as, “Sangguniang Kabataan VS the Barangay”, which is just fantastical since we are incorporated, but with unique identity, in the barangay governance.

Any more words?

These days I can at least post twice or thrice a week. I'm polishing the works of my kagawads with regards to these modules.

I personally would like to hear from you. Do comment, ask, suggest on the box below.

Day 295: 2013 Summerkadahan Preparations

It has been so long. I will do whatever I can to keep this blog updated. For today, lets take a sneak peak on an annually anticipated event in the city and how the youth of barangay Fatima do about it.

Summer League

Volley-belles

The city has been very relevant to the need on every summer days by holding a sports event. Years before, it was sponsored and initiated by the Congressperson but today our city mayor and the congressman work on it hand in hand, with the support of the barangay Sangguniang Kabataan, the city federation of SK and the YADO.

This sports event is called Summerkadahan. Every barangay through the SK can have their representatives in two sports, basketball for men, which is divided to two categories as Junior and Senior and volleyball for women.

The Summerkadahan has been around like forever, long before I was the SK Chairperson and the SK Chairperson before last, and last.

Before, as I was told, since the Congress subsidized its implementation players can go farther than playing for their barangay, they play for the city! For example, GenSan basketball Junior’s team will be matched with Polomolok, another municipality, inside in the District the congressman has jurisdiction.

How your barangay do with all these?

We’re doing pretty well but not as well as it were years back, where the above scheme was imposed. Today, the Summerkadan’s top places ends in the city level.

As far as the trophies in our office is concerned (we don’t have any records of anything the time we assumed office from the former SK Chairperson after winning the election, as in, wiped clean, soft and hard copy alike) we have champions on both basketball and volleyball, and not just for a year but for several years.

On this present term we have downgraded a bit but performed competitively well than the other 25 barangays.

Tip: In scheduling the try-outs, we prioritize those Purok SK Chairpersons who attends the monthly meetings because they would be more prepared than the PSK Chairpersons who come and go to meetings whenever they want.

We always make it a point that former players, even how good they are last season to still participate in the try-outs since this is another season, pun!

Also, during practice schedules, we provide them drinks and vitamins, as much as possible. The city also conducts anti-drug symposium on all the participating barangays on a specified date. Failure to attend these will cause disqualification on the part of the player. I really believe this is gave additional value than just playing the game.

As of this time, we are updating our coaches and trainers on each category, senior basketball, junior basketball and women’s volleyball.

Purchasing of lightings for the courts and genuine basketball balls and volleyball balls are also on the list of to dos.

Day 334: Try-Outs

There might be inquiries on how a Sangguniang Kabataan can manage to saturate their area for a city-wide competition, specifically, a summer league.

Of course, we should all consider that there is no area, in our case purok, that monopolizes athletic excellence.

With this in mind, the Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay Fatima devised a schedule for purok try-outs. The Sangguniang Kabataan themselves will visit each purok of assignment to gather interested young people for the try-outs.

The selection will be monitored by the Sangguniang Kabataan with the help of the coaches selected prior to the try-outs. Their presence during the selection will help ensure that potential players, among the interested ones, are to represent the barangay. Also, having the coaches already during these times will prepare them to have a feel for the players they will train. This will elaborate approaches and techniques they can impose during practices.

Below is the schedule we will follow:

"SummerKadahan Updates:

Schedule of Try-Outs:

Date Time Purok Division Venue

Feb. 9, 2013 8:00-11:00am Purok 1,2,3,4,7 Purok 7

Feb. 9, 2013 2:00 – 5:00pm Purok 5,9A,9B,14,15,19 Purok 19

Feb. 10, 2013 2:00 – 5:00pm Purok 6,8,11A,11C Purok 11A

Feb. 16, 2013 8:00–11:00am Purok 10A & 10B Purok 10B

Feb. 16, 2013 2:00 – 5:00pm Purok 17A & 17B Purok 17A

Feb. 17, 2013 2:00 – 5:00pm Purok12,12A,13 Purok 13

Feb. 23, 2013 8:00–11:00am Purok 11B,13A,13B,16 Purok 13A

Feb. 23, 2013 2:00 – 5:00pm Purok 18,20,21 Brgy. Hall

Feb. 24, 2013 1:00 – 5:00pm Final Selection Brgy. Hall

Please make the interested young people to bring the following:

Original and photocopy of NSO Birth Certificate

Parent’s Consent

Please be guided accordingly."

Day 362: Sangguniang Kabataan Term Extension

I know every Sangguniang Kabataan’s talking about whether or not there is an extension in the term of office.

Do you think the extension is a good thing or a bad thing? Personally, the indecision of our government to now causes a slack to SKs who have plans to work out after this term, i.e., this year 2013.

Others I heard of are cynical about the extension. Since they only have taken oath for a specific term of office they can have “lazy days” after the 2013, if there is an extension. Some would just plainly remain stoic up to the time they need to.

To give us a perspective, we have an article by Ms. Sarah Consolacion, a Sumbanan Nominee for Academic Excellence 2011, giving her view on the issue.

Her take

There is more gain on the deferment of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls to October 2012 and the extension of office terms of barangay officials to five years. Prior to the enactment of Republic Act No. 8524, “An Act Changing the Term of Office of Barangay Officials and Member of the SK from Three Years to Five Years”, the bid for passing such amendment is to address the issue of effective governance and implementation of long term projects nationwide.

A scrutiny of the previous short term office (three years) for barangay and SK officials would let us see that oftentimes the delivery of services in the most basic level of governance is affected. Furthermore, the previous short term office leads the government to spending too much and gaining not really much due to funding short term projects of the sudden-switching local politicians.

In the context of having elections on October 2012, the Filipino masses are given better assurance that this will be automated and implemented in at least two highly urbanized cities and two provinces covering Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to be chosen by the Commission on Election (Comelec) in accordance with the Automated Election System law since the Comelec itself is given an ample time to work on and prepare for the matter. Moreover, there can be also sufficient time for the Comelec to conduct a voter’s education program for the interest of those who are unaware of how automated election is to be done.

In the face of all these budget and governance challenges, the decision for term extension for barangay and SK offices is a relevant measure in the interest of effective public service. With fingers crossed, let us be on a fervent hope of welfare from this calculated risk.

Any more words?

Either way, one can always find advantages and disadvantages on the issue. 

However, as long as we are in the office I believe we must carry out the functions we are expected to. To the best we can and the extra mile possible.