MANILA — To prepare for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on May 14, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is reminding all barangays to submit their annual reports on the use of their SK funds last year not later than March 15.
DILG Officer-in-Charge Eduardo M. Año said this is to ensure the funds allocated for the SK were spent judiciously and for the benefit and welfare of the youth.
“Bilang mga lingkod bayan, nararapat lamang na ipaalam ng mga barangay sa mga mamamayan kung paano nila ginastos ang pondong nakalaan para sa mga kabataan (As public servants, the barangays should only inform the public on how they spent the funds intended for the youth),” Año said in a statement Thursday.
“The 10 percent of the general fund of the barangay allocated for the SK shall be used solely for youth development and empowerment programs and projects until the new set of SK officials shall have been duly elected and qualified,” says the guidelines set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) last year.
The guidelines also specify that the SK funds shall be allocated for the “mandatory training and SK Pederasyon elections” and for youth development and empowerment programs and projects that will promote and ensure equitable access to quality education, youth employment and livelihood, anti-drug abuse, gender sensitivity, sports development, and capacity building, among others.
DILG Spokesman Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said the DILG is prepared to conduct the mandatory training for newly elected SK officials through the Local Government Academy. But these, he said, would be all charged to the 10-percent of the Barangay General Fund reserved for youth projects.
“We wish to remind all Barangays that they should reserve funds for the Mandatory Training of all SK officials to be elected this May. Thus, they should not spend the entire 10%, otherwise their SK won’t be able to attend the trainings,” Malaya said.
He said the barangays are required to submit their reports on SK fund use through the National Barangay Operations Office, copy furnished to the National Youth Commission. (Perfecto Raymundo, Jr./PNA)
