SAN FABIAN—Will the reforms introduced in the 2016 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Law finally give the youth councils the chance to organize and lead effectively?

This was uppermost in the minds of Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia as he and his mother, former Rep. Gina de Venecia, cast their votes at the Bolasi Elementary School in San Fabian town.

Rep. De Venecia and his mom, former Rep. Gina de Venecia, vote in San Fabian town. (Punchphoto by Eva Visperas)

De Venecia, 31, one of the millennial congressmen today, told local newsmen that he was excited to see the SK is back and said he looked forward to working with them.

“Finally, we can take it for a test run,” he said, referring to the SK Reform Law, comparing it to having a used car with new parts.

“I’ve been saying in my talks that SK is not just about liga (league), but that SK is for youth empowerment,” he said.

De Venecia urged the newly elected SK officials to properly use their respective budgets in their barangays for teaching their fellow youths in computer education, responsible use of social media, entrepreneurship for income, and to promote advocacies like awareness of HIV and related diseases, among others.

There are a lot of potentials where the SKs can participate and excel in order to help others, De Venecia said.

The young congressman also hailed the barangay leaders as frontliners in their communities.

“Let us focus on our initiatives in the barangays, particularly the ordinances, and see to their implementation and enforcement,” he said.

“If we don’t care about these in our barangays, we have no right to be critical of what’s happening in the national level,” De Venecia said.

For her part, his mother Gina, said the future will of the communities will now depend on the leaders whom the people elected on May 14.

She cited the importance of the roles played by barangay and SK officials because it is they, she said, who know which projects are badly needed in their barangays.

“In turn, it behooves the elected officials and in higher offices to help deliver the basic services needed like potable water, irrigation and schools.” (Eva Visperas)

 

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