i Report Issue No. 3 2005 - Philippine Center for Investigative ...

T H E L O S T G E N E R A T I O N
says. “They (the youth) vote
whom they think is popular,
who looks better than the
other candidate, and friendlier.”
Rather than just orienting
the youth about their rights as
voters, his group decided to
launch a political education
campaign. Recounts Lazaro:
“We wanted them to know
how the system worked, how
to recognize the motives of
each political player, and to
exact accountability from the
people they voted for.”
The NYC, created in 1994
to establish programs on youth
development, also proposed
an SK Reform bill in 1997. But
up to now, Congress has yet
to pass one. HB 3592, which
was introduced last year by
party-list group Akbayan is an
improved version of the earlier
bill. It seeks oversight powers
for the Katipunan ng mga
Kabataan or KK (youth in the
community) to make SK officials
accountable and transparent
in planning projects, budgeting,
and disbursing funds.
The KK is actually the SK
electorate, or youths between
the ages of 15 and 17 in a
community. SK officials are
supposed to convene the KK
at least every three months
and present accomplishments
and consult it regarding
projects. But getting a considerable
number of youths
together to listen to a report is
tricky to say the least. Nalupta
points out that most of those
who make up the KK are in
school. And in really poor
places, he says, youths would
rather attend to their family’s
needs, such as scrounging for
their next meal, than listen to
a bunch of their peers.
Nalupta says the NYC
favors the Akbayan bill, but
they received feedback recently
that it may not stand a chance
since Congress wants a radical
change in the SK. Nalupta says
they might just go for the bill
filed by Cavite Rep. Gilbert
Remulla. That bill, perceived
by many as a move to abolish
the entire SK body, allows one
youth representative per barangay.
Nalupta says removing the
collegial body would save the
government a lot of money.
He says it might be the right
step to take since most of the
time the council fails to meet
because its members are busy
with their studies.
Since any of the bills might
not be passed anytime soon,
many are calling for Congress
to at least revert the age bracket
of those qualified for SK to
the original 15 to 21 years old.
In 2002, Congress limited SK
candidates’ maximum age to 17.
“There are criticisms from Congress
that the SK is too young,”
says Nalupta. “It’s ironic because
it was the same institution that
reduced the age bracket.”
Lazaro, for his part, thinks
there should be a body to review
and assess the SK before
any change is made. He says
the study’s outcome would be
a better indicator of the kind
of reforms SK needs. Right
now, he says, “there are no
hard data, only perceptions.”
Raine Arandia, SK president
in Botolan, Zambales,
says before he was elected
in 2002, he also had negative
views about the SK. “I might
not have been as open-minded
about the SK if I hadn’t been
a part of it,” he says. “Others
think it’s just nothing. But I
learned many things.” He has
also been busy; among his
projects have been marathons
for the anti-drug campaign,
as well as clean- and-green
programs. He has even put out
newsletters on the pitfalls of
smoking and drinking. But he
admits that half of his budget
went to sports, explaining,
“As SK chairmen, we head the
youth and sports development
committee and that’s what we
try to deliver.” Some of his
SK colleagues, though, have
spent considerable amounts on
beauty and bikini contests.
Arandia says if he had more
funds, he would hold symposia
for the youth on moral values
and the Zambaleño culture and
identity. “Values have eroded,”
he says. “The young people
today are apathetic and have
no concern for issues.”
Lazaro, though, says Edsa
2 gave the youth a chance to
fight for good governance and
accountability. “It was,” he
says, “the peak of the political
awareness of the youth.” And,
he says, it made the government
see the youth as a formidable
mobilizing force.
“HISTORICALLY,” SAYS
Nalupta, “the youth have been
fighting for empowerment.”
In theory, the SK gives them
that. This may be why people
like Nalupta refuse to give up
on it that easily. Says the NYC
official: “There may be failures
(in the SK). But the frustrations
and disillusionment could be
responded to by bold changes.”
Nalupta himself tried to
implement some reforms as
national SK federation head.
Under his leadership, the SKs
were provided guidelines in
allocating their budgets, making
them more capable in addressing
the needs of the youth.
Nalupta also partnered with
agencies like the Office of the
Ombudsman for anti-corruption
trainings and with ABS-CBN
for disaster relief assistance and
Yes to Clean Air campaigns,
among other things. He set up
the SK Academy, which now
serves as a training center and
youth hostel.
Several SKs have also been
making a difference in their
respective communities. In San
Fernando, La Union, the SK
has put up a Teen Center that
has a mini library, as well as
recreation and sports facilities.
It also offers peer counseling
and a youth-registry system
that aims to compile youth
profiles. In addition, the San
Fernando SK launched an
adolescent reproductive health
program along with values education
and campaigns against
substance abuse. In Olongapo
City, the SK set up readingand-learning
centers in several
barangays. SKs elsewhere have
conducted feeding programs,
medical and dental missions,
and even livelihood programs
for the youth.
Indeed, although many have
been disillusioned with the SK,
it still has its believers. Isaac says
“one more soul shouting for
reform” is already a big achievement.
“We should learn from
our mistakes,’ he says. “Who
knows? The next generation
might just give us surprises.”
Posadas, however, seems to
have had enough. He says the
country’s political framework
isn’t ideal. He can still hear the
call of public service, but he is
no longer eager to answer it,
even though he knows many
others have parlayed their SK
past into bigger political fortunes.
(There are about 212 former
SK members who were elected
into higher public posts in 2004,
including Iloilo Rep. Garin and
North Cotabato Rep. Emmylou
Taliño-Santos. (See Table 2.)
The rather jaded Arandia of
Zambales can probably commiserate
with Posadas. Yet unlike
Posadas, he is still hoping for
better things to happen. His
mother, a dedicated community
worker, had told him not to allow
disillusionment to overshadow
his passion and willingness
to serve. “She reminded me,” he
says, “that my performance in
office largely defines the kind of
person that I am.”
Table 1. Barangays in Makati with the largest general fund
Barangay
Bel-Air Village
San Lorenzo Village
Forbes Park
Urdaneta Village
Dasmariñas Village
Source: City budget office, Makati
Representative
Governor
Vice governor
Provincial board member
Mayor
Vice Mayor
Councilor
Barangay Captain
Total
General fund (IRA
+ taxes, dues, and
fees)
104,600,000.00
89,508,587.00
18,139,551.00
18,372,028.39
16,023,131.00
SK fund (10-percent
share)
10,460,000.00
8,950,858.70
1,813,955.10
1,837,202.84
1,602,313.10
Table 2. Elective positions (2004) held by former SK officials
Position
Source: NYC
No. of seats
occupied
2
1
1
22
10
11
160
5
212
PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
I REPORT
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