EDITORIAL - A useless branch

Few months from now, it will be the turn of the youth to exercise their mandate as they would troop to the polling places for the next Sangguniang Kabataan elections. It would be an opportune time for them to choose their next leaders who will lead them for another term.

SK officials hold the same term as barangay leaders. They are supposed to have a symbiotic relationship in the government's drive to transform the barangay into a major force to spur countryside development.

However, the SK miserably failed to serve its purpose. In the two decades of its existence, it failed to live up to the public's expectation to develop the youth and make them ready for the task ahead as the country's future leaders.

It is undeniable that the youth organization has become heavily politicized. From its inception, the SK already fell into the trap of politics, serving as training ground for children of politicians wanting to cement their dominance.

Henrietta de Villa of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting was right in her statement that the SK has become the “entry point” for political dynasties. While the SK is designed as training field for future leaders, De Villa said its members are only being exposed to political anomalies.

For one, corruption has been rampant among the SK leaders. In fact many of them have been accused of pocketing funds that should have been used for youth development projects.

It's been more than 20 years since the government established the SK in its goal to develop the youth into becoming partners for a true national progress. But it unfortunately grown into a useless branch as far as its present situation is concerned.

The government should look into what went wrong. There are countless reasons for us to see why the youth organization failed to deliver the goods.