DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation in Davao City passed a resolution on Tuesday, October 1, encouraging the barangay captains in the area to recognize and implement the mandatory 10% allocation for their respective SK councils.
Councilor Jaffar Marohomsalic, the SK Federation chair of Davao City said that the resolution was based on the result of the hearing conducted by his committee indicating that there are barangays that failed to release the 10% budget allocation for SK councils.
Marohomsalic added that the move was also an assertion of the autonomy of the SK Federations in handling their yearly budget as mandated under the law.
The appropriation, release, planning and budgeting of the regular funds for SK Federations is mandated by the guidelines issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the National Youth Commission (NYC), the councilor added.
“In our consultations, there are still barangay councils who are hesitant to release the 10% budget allotment for our SK,” he said.
He added that Republic Act 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 mandates that SK councils should have a separate account for the 10% budget allotment of the barangay.
“In the committee hearing that we conducted, it was reported that there are around 50 barangays who still failed to release the SK budget,” Marohomsalic said.
It was also found out during the committee hearing that there are still SK councils in the city that do not have bank accounts, he added.
Marohomsalic clarified that his office is regularly monitoring the activities of the SK councils and that they are also reminded of the need to open bank accounts for the federation.
Of the 182 barangays, only 40 SK councils have so far opened their bank accounts, he said.
“That is why we also keep on reminding them of their obligations as SK councils. As soon as possible they should have their own accounts,” Marohomsalic stressed.
On the same session on Tuesday, the SK Federation of Davao City also passed a resolution asking the House of Representative to craft a legislation that will provide an incentive system and appropriate funds to SK councilors, treasurers and secretaries in aid to strengthen their skills of leadership in the barangay levels.
Marohomsalic said they will also provide the NYC with the copy of the said resolution for support in the facilitation and lobbying in congress.
He said that the resolution is part of the collective effort of all members of the SK Federations in the country. (davaotoday.com)
