BACOLOD CITY — The 488 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in the city’s 61 barangays have attended the mandatory SK training and took their oath in rites held at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) Auditorium here.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who inducted the newly-elected youth officials into office, on Wednesday said the SK officials could be future government leaders and should appreciate the opportunity to be elected into office.
The first batch of the SK leaders took their oath and attended the training on Tuesday.
“Someday, they will take over the reins of governance in the city,” he added.
The mayor said that since there is practically no other country in the world that has an institutionalized youth organization like the SK, the Filipino youth officials are privileged to be given the opportunity to participate in local governance.
“Being elected is a privilege not granted to every young person, but only to them. They should value it, it’s a blessing. To whom much is given, much is also expected,” he added.
“As the present officials, we try to put in place everything for the future. They are the bridge in the transition between us and the generations to come,” the mayor added.
The mandatory SK training is being conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government in partnership with the National Youth Commission, Local Youth Development Office, and UNO-R.
During Tuesday’s oath-taking, present were the SK chairmen and kagawad from barangays Barangays 1 to 30.
The attendees on Wednesday were from Barangays 31 to 41, and Barangays Alangilan, Alijis, Banago, Bata, Cabug, Estefania, Felisa, Granada, Handumanan, Mandalagan, Mansilingan, Montevista, Pahanocoy, Punta Taytay, Singcang-Airport, Sum-ag, Taculing, Tangub, Villamonte and Vista Alegre.
Each barangay has one chairperson and seven members of the Katipunan ng Kabataan or the kagawad.
The term of the newly-elected barangay and SK officials will start at noontime of June 30.
They will serve for only two years, instead of the three years mandated by law since Republic Act 10952, which rescheduled the barangay and SK elections to May 2018, also set the next elections for May 2020. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
