CEBU, Philippines - The provincial government is in favor of creating youth councils in local government units to take over the responsibilities of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation whose officials will see the end of their term on November 30.
Governor Hilario Davide III said he supports the call of various sectors especially youth groups for the creation of youth councils in provincial, city and municipal levels.
In fact, Davide said Provincial Board Member Jose Ribomapil “Joeyboy†Holganza Jr. has authored the ordinance on the creation of the Provincial Youth Council and it is already due for second reading before the PB.
The creation of the local youth councils has been pushed by the youth sector after both the lower and upper house of Congress approved the postponement of the SK elections on October 28.
President Benigno Aquino III has recently signed into law the postponement with a “no-holdover†provision, which means the incumbent SK officials will end their term on schedule as opposed to the proposal that they extend their term until the next SK election.
The youth sector earlier raised their concerns that with the no-holdover provision, the youth will no longer have a voice in the government, thus the proposal to create youth councils in the local level.
Yesterday, the Philippine Youth Development Plan workshop also took place at the Capitol where the creation of youth councils was noted as a priority policy of the Aquino administration and the National Youth Commission, the policy-making agency of the government that is in charge of the youth sector.
NYC Chairman Erwin Andaya said the PYDP “aims to solicit participation of regional agencies and LGUs by integrating the objectives of PYDP in their respective agency and LGU plans.â€
The workshop was attended by representatives of national government agencies and provincial planning officers from Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Apart from the creation of youth councils, the PYDP also tackled the SK reform bill, the Magna Carta on Youth bill and the Students Rights and Welfare bill. (FREEMAN)