BACOLOD CITY — The president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation in this city has expressed support to the priorities outlined by the National Youth Commission (NYC), which will involve the newly-elected barangay youth leaders.
“We, in Bacolod, will have programs in line with the ideals of the NYC. We will support the national campaign on that,” said Ayesha Joy Villaflor, who attended her first City Council session on Wednesday.
Assistant Secretary Ronald Cardema, NYC officer-in-charge chairman, said in his recent visit to Bacolod that the youth, particularly the SK officials, should get involved in disaster response initiatives, campaign against illegal drugs, and other forms of crimes.
“We’re following the policies of the President (Rodrigo Duterte) for the youth. Our number one priority is disaster response,” Cardema said.
He added that the NYC has partnered with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council to orient all the SK leaders on disaster response.
Cardema said the NYC is also working with the Dangerous Drugs Board in the campaign against illegal drugs, and with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the anti-crime campaign.
Villaflor, a junior law student, said she will attend the NYC-organized summit for provincial and city SK federation presidents in Quezon City next week.
“I expect the NYC to discuss in this summit the implementation of the projects of the national government,” she said.
Villaflor’s priorities also include the anti-drug campaign, as well as education, policy-making and good governance.
She said that after the summit, she will convene all the SK chairpersons in Bacolod to share her knowledge on Republic Act 10742 or the SK Reform Act.
The SK Reform Act mandates both the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the NYC to jointly design and implement the mandatory and continuing training programs for SK officials.
These include capability building on leadership, program and project development and sustainability, financial management, and accountability and transparency. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
