The snowball against the SK

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The move for the abolition of the local government adjunct called the Sangguniang Kabataan is obviously snowballing with more and more sectors calling for it, including members of Congress themselves.

There had been so many negative comments about the performance of this body, a product of the Martial Law years, and, except for those who have their own agenda in working for its retention, more and more Filipino taxpayers are wondering how it happened that a group of youngsters, still in school, could have been grouped into a body composed like a younger version of the Sangguniang Panglungsod or the Barangay itself, and also enjoying benefits approximating theirs.

There is no quarrel with the contention that our young people should learn about governance. However, so far, the impressions gathered about the performances of those who had been elected to the SK is that they have been learning more about graft and corruption, and of perpetrating political dynasties. The negative results of having them apparently outweigh the positive. Seriously now, what are the landmark accomplishments of your SK in your barangay, town or city?

That is why so many lawmakers have themselves began agitating for the abolition of the body. Among the most significant arguments against them is that their existence is costing the local government a lot more funds that could have gone into more productive projects for the community.

It has also been pointed out that even their election has raised the cost of the coming polls to more than P3 billion. And what about their allowances as SK members? Note also that the one they choose to be president also qualifies to sit as a councilor, and receive the same privileges, benefits and compensation as the members of the council themselves.

Let us hope that the new Congress manages to find a way of solving the problem of the white elephant that the SK, with the exception of a very few, has become. The proposal that the budget for them should be removed, and that they should serve voluntarily is probably the best, because it will imbue in them the spirit of voluntarism, and remove the materialism that they have already learned from undeserving elders.*