Scrap the SK

IN RETROSPECT

By Ashley Manabat

=== I believe a 16 year-old have no other place to be but inside the classroom learning the 3Rs—Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic===

FINALLY a whiff of fresh air from the Palace. President Aquino is standing pat on his proposal to abolish the old and inefficient system of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in the country as part of the government’s reform agenda, bannered the Manila Bulletin.
This came after a series of gaffes from Malacanang starting with a botched EO enjoining all appointed officials in the government bureaucracy to vacate their posts on June 30, 2010. The EO was promptly amended after realizing its absurdity.

Apparently sensing their blunders, Sen. Joker Arroyo on Sunday criticized the legal team of President Aquino for racking up four cases before the Supreme Court in just 46 days in power.
“This is not a good beginning,” Arroyo said as quoted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. That's right Sen. Joker.
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Back on the SK, I have long argued that it is unnecessary. The SK only corrupts the young minds of the youth who should be more concern in finishing their studies rather than sorting out the problems of their village or town. There is enough politics in school campuses for the youth to sharpen their political understanding and practice leadership.
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Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chairperson Henrietta De Villa echoed President Aquino's view. She said: “It is not good that at a very young age, the young people are developing a mindset about politics on the basis of wrong values.”

De Villa added, "based on the PPCRV’s observation from the ground, it is becoming an entry point for political dynasties to extend their political role in the area.”

SK representatives are mostly the sons or daughters of incumbent politicians. Ordinary youths do not stand a chance to win in an election where the mayor of the town or the chief of the village is the father of a youth candidate. How can the opponent of the politician's son or daughter muster enough logistical resources to defeat a well-oiled political machinery of the politician's son or daughter? Almost always, the youth is exposed to corruption like bribery at the onset of his candidacy

that will definitely be instilled in his young mind. A youth council is redundant and unnecessary anyway so why expose the youth to politics at a young age?
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Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento is also supporting the abolition of the SK. "The poll official said the SK should be abolished, stressing that it is not a good training ground for young people. The young learn early about the bad side of

politics like commissions in contracts and projects,” said Sarmiento as quoted by the Manila Bulletin.
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"The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) submitted on Thursday a draft measure to Malacañang, calling for the abolition of the SK and the election of a youth representative in the October 25 elections, citing the group’s failure to be functional and effective in the delivery of public services under the Local Government Code."
DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo said "the draft measure will seek to repeal Section 423 to 439 of the Local Government Code that will, in effect, totally abolish the Katipunan ng Kabataan or the SK, and the amendment of Section 387 (a) and 390 of the same Code to include a youth representative in the barangay who will be elected at large by the youth aged 15 years old but less than 18 years old during the barangay elections." He added that "the draft measure is expected to be certified as urgent or a priority bill by the President."
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On the other hand, the youth arm of the Akbayan party-list group criticized President Aquino's plan to scrap the SK saying it is both "unreasonable and unacceptable." This precisely is what I mean. The youth have become unreasonable themselves by taking

an adamant position in opposing for the SK abolition. I am not saying that the youth should be ignored and their concerns placed in the back burner. But the youth should be better off in school rather than dabbling in politics.
How can it be "unacceptable" when we had our bad experiences with the SK even if some have shown extraordinary skills in governance? I believe a 16 year-old have no other place to be but inside the classroom learning the 3Rs - Reading, wRiting

and aRithmetic. At the end of the day, that makes a lot more sense.