CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda has urged the 3,660 newly elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairpersons and councilors to stay away from illegal drugs and to help in the campaign to make Pampanga a drug-free province when the term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends in 2022.
“Makarine nung manungkulan kayu atsu kayu king drugs (It is shameful for public officials like you to be involved in drugs),” the vice governor told SK leaders in a summit at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here on Thursday, August 2.
“Give me information on pushers and users in your villages so we could eliminate them,” Pineda added.
In the summit, Pampanga Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRRMO) Angelina Blanco gave orientation on climate change adaptation and disaster resiliency.
Pineda said SK leaders can serve as models to the youth "if they were men and women for others and they live with integrity."
“Ingatan yu ing kekayung valor (Protect your honor),” he advised them. Pineda first became a municipal councilor, then became three-term mayor and now, a vice governor.
The official also informed the SK leaders about the Capitol’s programs on education, health, livelihood and agriculture and ways to access these for the youth in the communities.
He encouraged SK leaders who failed to complete a college degree to avail of Capitol’s educational scholarship program.
In the same summit, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino asked SK leaders to implement a drug prevention and educational campaign in their areas.
Aquino said more resources should be spent by the SK on Duterte’s flagship anti-drugs campaign than on basketball contests and beauty pageants.
Governor Lilia Pineda said that SK budget is drawn from the 10 percent of the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of barangays.
She added additional funding would be given to the SK under the youth and gender and development programs.