Day 095: It Tells Us Something...

As of now, lamentations will suffice what’s been said and done on the bicameral Sangguniang Kabataan Polls discussion resolution. However, let’s have a run-down and try sifting positivity.

Terms.

Hold-over, postponement, and reformation are the three words the participative circle of Sangguniang Kabataan has been hearing these past few weeks.

It is important to contextualize the terms posed above before we move along: a ‘hold-over’ will practically mean that the current Sangguniang Kabataan officials will still be serving until reformation is carried out, of course, with the years to be defined by our legislators; ‘postponement’ is the arrangement of the Sangguniang Kabataan Elections much later than scheduled; and ‘reform’ is the realignment and specification of new or enhanced set of Sanggguniang Kabataan governance guidelines, along with its composition, qualifications, powers, functions, and duties, among others.

Versions.

The lower house approved a 3-year postponement without bestowing power to the incumbent Sangguniang Kabataan to hold power. Thus, a ‘vacuum’ of youth participation is imminent. The Senate’s version is postponing the polls to 2014, while the present officials are allowed for a ‘hold-over’. After reviews and discussion, the bicameral panel produced what can be most congruent to the anticipated Sangguniang Kabataan reform.

“Whether Congress approves the SK Reform bill or not, elections will still be held anytime between 28 October 2014 and 23 February 2015 thereby giving Congress a natural deadline for the passage of a law that would massively address the iniquities and structural limitations of the SK as an institution. Failure to approve an SK Reform Law would have put this postponement to naught.” (NYC; Full article available here.)

Arguments.

The decision made last Tuesday 24 September that there will be no hold over AND the positions will be vacant until reformation ensues raised brows with regards to major provisions of law. These will be just citations with minute annotations. These can be personal points of interpretation and guidance is highly solicited.

Article II, Sec. 13 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states,

“The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.”

The ‘vacuum’ stripped away the constitutional rights of the Filipino youth, since their involvement in public and civic affairs made through the Sangguniang Kabataan. It is unacceptable to think otherwise because the Sangguniang Kabataan is the youth arm of the government in the barangay that provides constitutionally specified growth and enhancement opportunities. NGOs and POs may have had their share in the grassroots but since we are emanating this discussion from the constitution, the direct response would be “It’s the Sangguniang Kabataan!”

As member of the Sangguniang Kabataan, arguments of inefficacy, corruption, or irrelevance, which many proves to be true, cannot be discredited. That said, there is still a violation of our constitutional rights. We uphold reform but we cannot uphold non-representation of the youth sector in the barangay.

Lastly, this point will come from the bible of local governance and creation, the Local Government Code of 1991, otherwise known as RA 7160.

“Sec. 423. Creation and Election. - (a) There shall be in every barangay a sangguniang kabataan to be composed of a chairman, seven (7) members, a secretary, and a treasurer.”

The word shall in this statement direct a future action and its completion is not a request but a strong assertion and intention of doing what it demands. Since there will be no holdover, and not even an election, we violated the founding principles of local governance.

The argument here is the unlawful decision of keeping the positions vacant. And it should not have happened. Now, what else can be transgressed? The constitution was held no use, RA 7160 bland. What can possibly stop these legislators totally removing youth participation and representation in the government?

Even these are brought out it will not change their decision but perhaps ignite something for us young Filipinos.

This the way we are shaken, reminded, with the voices calling us to stop addiction, end sloth and unproductivity, and wake up from slumber! There is no intention of breeding activists but a generation that will rise up proving the purpose of our kind, the purpose of nation building and progress.

What now?

The 10 per cent SK fund will not longer be at the disposal of the SK, youth representative in the barangay, but on the hands of the Sangguniang Barangay. So the committee on Youth & Sports Affairs, dutifully stated by law to be given to the SK Chairperson, will be assigned to an SB member and it’s up for him or her to appropriate. Gladly, the divisions, e.g., 10 per cent Livelihood, 10 per cent Capability Building, will be maintained. What we can’t be sure is the details of the said appropriations.

To promote accountability to where it’s needed the most, it can be suggested that a resolution be passed that in the years,until the Sangguniang Kabataan polls and reform is completed, the committee chairman must allow youth from the barangay form part his ‘external’ committee membership. Through this, the youth will still be an active participant of what concerns them.

The subsidiary members will also have their qualifications as well, which are to be set and evaluated by the Sangguniang Barangay Council members. After completing the phase, the SB members will make the final approval of memberships.

There might be no financial assistance for the members of the aforementioned committee, unless they are employed as part of the government employees in the barangay with supplementary functions. This will at least ease the threatening situation of total exclusion of youth participation from local governance. There might be a better suggestion than this and it is greatly invited.

Any more words?

The sunset is closing our term of office. We still have some important activities coming.