As Filipino youth prepare for polls, major scandal rocks SK

Just a few days before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Oct. 25, two youth groups filed corruption charges against the president of the SK National Federation at the Office of the Ombudsman — the latest in a long list of controversies that have hounded the local youth council throughout its existence. The complainants accuse SKNF President Jane Censoria Cajes of “lack of transparency in the finances" of the federation, citing her failure to render financial statements during her three-year term. As early as April 2010, the National Youth Commission (NYC) had asked Cajes for documents detailing the financial status of the SKNF from 2008 to 2010, but she has yet to submit them, said NYC commissioner for the Visayas Benjie Oliva. The NYC, an independent government agency created in 1995 to serve as the national secretariat of the SKNF, has reminded Cajes to release financial statements for her term as soon as possible, “kasi nga we are in the process of a transition," Oliva said. In a report on GMA News’ 24 Oras, complainant Manuel Ferdinand de Erio said, “Gusto naming magawaan ng lifestyle check ng Ombudsman [si Cajes], at least to shed light on the issue, kung ang lifestyle ni Pres. Jane ay questionable ba talaga."
The complaint cited lack of bidding for the multi-million-peso procurement of goods and services in the SK national congresses from 2008 to 2010, failure to liquidate over P93 million in SKNF funds, and a “lavish display of wealth" that allegedly included expenses for branded clothes and cosmetic surgery. “Hindi nalalaman ng mga kabataan sa Pilipinas, ng mga SK sa Pilipinas, kung ano talaga ang nangyayari sa pondo," said de Erio, a former staff member of Cajes. Members of the SK Reform Coalition and Akbayan Youth also signed the complaint. In response, Cajes told 24 Oras that she intends to file countercharges. “This is a very personal issue," she said. “Talagang below the belt and bastos. Ang kanya-kanyang tao, may right kung ano gusto niyang gawin sa sarili niya. Sumusweldo din naman tayo." In a statement, the Akbayan Youth and SK Reform Coalition have asked Sec. Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to look into the complaint against Cajes, which the two groups also signed. The SK National Federation is directly under the supervision of the DILG. Two decades of the SK Controversies are nothing new to the SK, which traces its origins to the Martial Law-era Kabataang Barangay (KB) created by the dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1975. Through Presidential Decree 684, a youth council was organized in every barangay, but by most accounts, the KB was used by the Marcos dictatorship mainly to quash dissent among militant students. After the people power uprising of 1986, the KB was abolished by President Corazon Aquino. After a five-year hiatus, the barangay-based youth council resurfaced as the SK through the Local Government Code of 1991. Each of the country’s 42,025 barangays is mandated to have an SK consisting of one chairperson and seven councilors, with an automatic budget appropriation of 10 percent of the barangay’s allocated funds. The law automatically granted membership in the Katipunan ng Kabataan (KK) to Filipino citizens within the 15-21 age bracket who are duly registered in their barangays, making them eligible to vote and run for office in the the SK elections. However, the voting age was lowered in a 2002 amendment to the 15-18 age bracket for “administrative convenience," said the NYC’s Oliva. He explained that previously, voters between 18 and 21 years of age had to vote twice, first at the barangay and then at the SK level, causing a headache for the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). But for the SK, the amended age bracket created many problems. Many young people in the 15-18 age range are high school students with more rigid schedules and stricter academic requirements, making it difficult for them to balance schoolwork with SK duties, Oliva said. The term of the SK coincides with the three-year term of barangay officials, although this has not been strictly observed. In 2005, the COMELEC postponed the barangay and SK polls, extending the term of incumbent officials until elections were held in 2007.

Supporters of a barangay candidate in Quezon City hold a festive parade along East Avenue on the last day of campaign . GMANews.TV

Flawed system, concrete gains John Mabilog, the 19-year old SK chair in Barangay Tap-Oc in Molo, Iloilo City, says local youth councils have led several successful projects that benefited the community. Among them is an income-generating “green brigade" project that recycled and sold trash, with the funds used for other SK initiatives. Over the past three years, the SK federation in Iloilo has held regular anti-drug abuse seminars for public high schools and organized several medical missions in the seven districts of the city, he added. Despite these gains, however, Mabilog admits there are drawbacks. Barangay officials sometimes pose a problem, especially because SK members under 18 years of age are not legally allowed to sign official documents such as contracts. The SK ends up becoming dependent on barangay officials for the approval of their projects, even though their interests do not coincide all the time, Mabilog added. The situation has discouraged many youth leaders from running for office, he said. This year for instance, only eight people are running for the SK in Barangay Tap-oc — one for each of the available positions. The elections are more competitive in Barangay Santolan, Pasig, where three slates and over 20 candidates are vying for SK positions. Many of them, contrary to allegations that political dynasties are pervasive at the SK level, are not related to any prominent political family, said Irvin Valencia, a former SK councilor for Barangay Santolan. Valencia served for five years, from 2002 to 2007. Like Mabilog, he said that it was often difficult to establish the autonomy of the SK from other local officials. For instance, in 2007, they had a budget of around P2.7 million, or 10 percent of Barangay Santolan’s funds of some P27 million. Valencia said the release of their funds was sometimes delayed by City Hall; at other times, barangay officials would strongly push their own agenda on how to spend the SK’s budget. Valencia is now a candidate for barangay councilor in the upcoming elections, and he says his decision to run was largely influenced by the things he learned at the SK. “Sa karanasan ko, hindi naman lagi gamay ng barangay councilors ang mga pangangailangan at interes ng kabataan," he said. “Madalas nawawalan ng sariling pagpapasya yung SK. Kaya ko din naisipang tumakbo, para ituloy pa ang pagsulong ng youth agenda, pero ngayon bilang barangay councilor na mismo." Commenting on the controversy involving the national SK president, Valencia agrees with other youth leaders that the SK National Federation has failed to coordinate with local youth councils. During his term, the Barangay Santolan SK was not able to attend SKNF national congresses because they were not informed about them, Valencia said. “Walang maayos na information dissemination. Hindi napapaabot sa amin ang nagaganap sa national level," he said. At the local level, Valencia recalled that during his term, the SK managed to implement various activities including free tutorials, summer workshops, barangay clean-ups, and cultural projects such as the formation of a local youth band and Bb. Santolan pageants. Indeed, a 2007 study of the SK system done by United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) noted the positive contributions of the youth councils in advancing the interests of their generation. The SK is “a testament to the Philippine government’s recognition of the potential of children and youth to contribute to national development," UNICEF representative to the Philippines Nicholas Alipui wrote in the report. “The future of good governance rests on the shoulders of the youth. It is imperative that young people themselves actively take part in their own development," Alipui added.

Duties of the SK	Fulfillment of Function
Legislation: promulgate resolutions necessary to carry out the objectives of the youth in the barangay	The SK’s performance of the legislative function is generally weak.
Program planning and implementation: initiate programs designed to enhance the social, political, economic, cultural, moral, spiritual, and physical development of the members	There is often a disparity between the youth’s most pressing needs and interests, such as livelihood and education, and the SK’s projects, which tend to focus more on sports, culture, and the environment.
Funding	One of the strengths of the SK is its ability to source alternative funding, and use its limited funds efficiently.
Consultation and coordination: work closely with youth organizations in the barangay and with appropriate agencies for the implementation of the SK’s projects	Most SKs actively hold consultations and coordinate with various national and local government units and NGOs, although there is a low level of participation by the community youth in the SK.

*Source: The Impact of the Youth Participation in Local Development Process: The Sangguniang Kabataan Experience (2007). Commissioned by UNICEF in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government Abolition vs. reform Yet, the common perception of the SK as an ineffective mechanism for youth participation prevails, with no less than President Benigno Aquino III calling for the abolition of the SK. Aquino said it would be more cost-effective for the government to have a single youth representative in local government units than to retain the SK. Separate bills proposing the abolition of the SK have also been filed in the past by former Senator Aquilino Pimentel and former Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla. Arguments against the youth council often cite waste of money and the “immaturity" of SK officials in handling the responsibility of governance, such that SK funds would be better allocated to the education sector. Many youth groups and leaders acknowledge that the SK has not lived up to its potential, but instead of abolishing the system, they are pushing for reform instead. “Example ko po ay isang bahay – kung sira ang bubong, hindi mo naman sisirain ang buong bahay. Ganun din sa SK. Corruption doesn’t start with the SK, victims lang din kami ng corruption ng higher officials," said Mabilog, who is also the SKNF assistant auditor. Among their proposed legislated reforms for SK are the following:

• Reinstate the original age bracket for SK voters to 15-21 years of age on election day, but adjust the SK requirement for SK candidates to 18-21 years old (SKNF)
• Institute an “anti-political dynasty" provision barring any person related up to the 4th degree of consanguinity and affinity to any elected/appointed official from running for the SK (NYC)
• Disallow SK officials from taking up studies in schools outside their area of responsibility, since there have been cases of SK officials in the provinces going to college in Metro Manila during their term as elected SK members (NYC)

“Calls for SK reform are based on studies, empirical data, nationwide consultations and validations, [and the] sentiments [of] different youth leaders… as opposed to the perceptions and opinions alone that served as the basis of those who are calling for SK abolition," the SKNF said in a statement. – YA/HS, GMANews.TV