THE Bacolod City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance granting allowance, hospitalization and burial assistance to the members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of all barangays in the city.
The ordinance was authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito and co-authored by Councilors Ayesha Joy Villaflor, Cindy Rojas, Ana Marie Palermo, Renecito Novero, Dindo Ramos, Bartolome Orola, Elmer Sy, Em Legaspi Ang, and Lady Gles Gonzales-Pallen.
Distrito said as barangay officials, the Local Government Code expressly provides that they are entitled to receive honoraria, allowances and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or city ordinance.
“For so long, the members of the SK of the City were not granted with such allowance, despite the fact that they also incur expenses every time they perform their functions as SK officials, which most of the time, they make use of their personal funds,” he said.
Distrito noted the Local Government Code of 1991 empowers the SK to promulgate resolutions necessary to carry out the objectives of the youth in the barangay and to initiate programs designed to enhance the social, political, economic, cultural, intellectual, moral, spiritual, and physical development of the members.
Distrito said the members of the SK are the frontliners in advancing the welfare of the youth that they deserve to be compensated for all their selfless efforts and that in recognition of their active role in the delivery of public service and participation in local governance.
He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Opinion No. 19 Series of 2010 provides that the members of the SK are considered as elective officials, who are entitled to receive allowance.
“I had also discussed this with Mayor Bing Leonardia and he expressed his support to the passage of this ordinance and that once approved, he will sign the same as a show of support to our youth leaders,” he added.
Section 3 of the proposed ordinance stated that every member of the SK shall receive P1,000 as their monthly allowance.
Section 5 of the proposed ordinance also stated that every member of SK shall also be entitled to a Hospitalization assistance of P10,000 in cases of hospital confinement which can only be availed once a year.
In case of death of an SK member, regardless of whether the cause of death is work-related or not, Distrito said the beneficiary shall be entitled to receive P10,000 as financial assistance to the bereaved family.