Wednesday, October 22, 2008 SK chair agrees with SK Reform
DAVAO City Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation Chair and City Councilor Halila Sudagar agreed that the SK should be regarded as distinct from the barangay council.
This is among the changes proposed in the SK Reform Bill proposal of Representative Eduardo Joson.
Sudagar said bared her stand Tuesday after the orientation and consultation made by Joson with Davao's SK officials. The consultation is only the second in Mindanao, the first being in Cagayan de Oro last August.
Sudagar said she is for the separation of the SK elections from the barangay elections, as well as the autonomy of the SK funding from that of the barangay.
"Kung ako lang din, sana magkaroon ng provisions for salary or honorarium of SK councilors," Sudagar said.
Joson, meanwhile, said he is pushing for reforms instead of the SK abolition as the latter does not solve the problem.
"We have to train our future leaders kaya di dapat i-abolish but we have to give them room to do it independently para hindi makulayan ng pulitika or ma-corrupt yung mga bata," Joson.
He added that SK federation chairs should not be made to sit in the local legislative councils as they are made vulnerable to the lobbying or bribery efforts of parties that have applications pending there.
"Their vote counts so they are also subject to the lobbying efforts. Pwede namang andun siya pero without voting power para di siya masali kung meron mang anomalous transactions going on. We cannot let our youth be part of that," Joson said.
Joson, however, said he expects the process of the SK Reform Bill to take long as the majority of the representatives are leaning towards the abolition.
"We must do the right thing, but making them learn the right way. This could be the antidote to the problem. Sayang din kasi kung i-abolish," Joson said. (GLP)
