PRESS RELEASE Reference: Rikki Mathay
September 4, 2013
SEN. JV PUSHES FOR SK REFORM
AMIDST calls for its abolition, Senator JV Ejercito is pushing for the reform in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) system in order to make it more responsive and appropriate to the present times. Senator Ejercito, during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Local Government, admitted the current SK system is flawed and it did not live up to the expectation and purpose of which it was intended. Under Ejercito’s proposed Senate Bill 68, otherwise known as the Sangguniang Kabataan Empowerment Act of 2013, the senator proposed to adjust the age bracket for SK members to 18-25, from the existing 15-17 years of age. “With the present age bracket, the SK is vulnerable to abuse. Hindi lamang po ng gobernador, mayor o barangay, madalas po yung magulang mismo ang umaabuso sa kanilang anak. Kaya po marapat lamang yung age bracket itaas po natin from 15 to 17, gawin nating 18 to 25, dahil sa tingin ko naman yung edad na18 to 25 they will be more politically aware, they will be more responsible and they will have the legal personality to sign documents. They will no longer beholden to the officials,” he added. Ejercito pointed out that abolishing the SK without alternative structures would only mean disservice to the youth. “Ang kabataan hindi dapat manatiling pag-asa ng bayan, sila ay dapat ‘maaasahan,’” Senator Ejercito pointed out.
