DAVAO CITY–The head of the National Youth Commission (NYC) challenged newly-elected officials of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to help ensure the success of government programs.
In his speech during the oath-taking of SK officials here Monday, NYC acting chair Ronald Gian Carlo Cardema said new SK officials should lead disaster response in their barangays during calamities.
Cardema also said that SK officials should help the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in their anti-crime, anti-terrorism, anti-insurgency, and anti-illegal drugs campaign.
“You are the front line of our government. President Rodrigo Duterte brought back the SK to be partners in governance,” he said, adding that new youth officials should prove they are “really the reformed SK” and not focus solely on sports fests and beauty pageants.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio shared the same view, saying SK officials should assist their respective barangay councils and the local government through meaningful projects.
“Let us focus on disaster preparedness. Let us focus on teenage pregnancies, which beset your age group, and let us focus on sustainable development,” Duterte-Carpio said.
She also underscored the importance of training the youth on disaster response and first aid to enable them to better respond to medical emergencies in their villages.
Duterte-Carpio said the SK may still organize sports programs and pageants but these should inculcate a positive message on their constituents.
“Usahay man gud mawala ang message nato sa atong project. Yes liga, we can link this to anti-drugs ang liga sa basketball but the frenzy at it all makalimtan nato ang message (Sometimes, we forget the message of our projects. Yes, basketball leagues held during summer can be linked to the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the government but due to the frenzy, we forget its message),” she said.
The mayor said summer sports activities intend to prevent the youth from loitering around and avoid drug abuse.
On the hand, the beauty pageant, such as Miss Gay or Miss Barangay, should promote gender equality and sensitivity to the public, she said. (Armando Fenequito, Jr./PNA)
