IT’S about time Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials receive benefits from the Bacolod City Government, said Councilor Caesar Distrito.
Distrito led the public hearing of a proposed ordinance granting allowance, hospitalization and burial assistance to the SK members of all barangays in Bacolod City.
Majority of the SK officials support the proposal, which was approved on first reading last week.
The SK officials of the 61 barangays were invited to the public hearing.
“Most of them are students, so they really need the city’s assistance,” Distrito, who authored the ordinance, said.
Distrito noted that the city officials want to make sure that the budget of the city will be spent on the right priorities.
“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. Most of the time, they make use of their personal funds,” Distrito said.
He said that the members of the SK are the front liners in advancing the welfare of the youth, so they deserve to be compensated for all their selfless efforts, and in recognition of their active role in the delivery of public service, as well as their participation in local governance.
For her part, Councilor Ayesha Joy Villaflor, SK Federation president, said she and other officials support the ordinance because it’s a big help.
“We are hopeful that this ordinance will be approved because for a long time, the SK was not granted with such allowance and most of us are using our own money so we can serve the youth,” she said.
Section 3 of the proposed ordinance states that every member of the SK shall receive P1,000 as monthly allowance.
Section 5 of the proposed ordinance also states that every member of the SK shall also be entitled to a hospitalization assistance of P10,000 in case of hospital confinement, which a member can avail himself of once a year.
In case of the death of an SK member, regardless of whether the cause of death is work-related or not, Distrito said the official’s family shall be entitled to receive P10,000 as financial assistance.
Distrito will submit his committee report to the City Council next week for the second reading of the ordinance. (MAP)