SK election

Sen. Bam to youth: Government needs you

More than ever, the government needs young, passionate and idealistic leaders to help change it from within.

Sen. Bam Aquino made this pronouncement in the light of moves to postpone the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections slated in the last Monday of October this year.

 According to the senator, more young Filipinos are joining the national conversation, taking to the streets to air their grievances and using social media to voice out their opinion and stand on matters of national importance.

“The SK is an opportunity to go beyond the streets, beyond social media and really work on programs to change their communities for the better,” said Sen. Bam, a former chairman of the National Youth Commission (NYC).

“Many people underestimate the capability of the youth to lead but in my experience, big changes can come from the youth sector. Marami tayong youth leaders na nakakatulong sa kanilang komunidad at kailangan sila ng ating bayan,” he stressed.

 “Tama na ang walong postponements! Let’s roll out the new and improved SK and start developing better public servants for a better future,” said Sen. Bam, pertaining to Republic Act No. 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Act.

 “The new and improved SK will give the youth a chance to contribute to the development of the country and emerge as better public servants in the future,” said Sen. Bam, who pushed for the law’s passage as co-author and co-sponsor during his time as chairman of the Committee on Youth in the 16th Congress.

Earlier, Sen. Bam opposed the government’s plan to postpone SK elections and appoint barangay officials instead.

 “Mahalaga na mismong taumbayan ang magpasya kung sinong lider ang nais nilang iluklok. Sa ganitong paraan, makikitang gumagana pa rin ang demokrasya sa bansa,” said Sen. Bam.

SK: Time to Reboot

With the agreement from both Houses of Congress to take up much-needed reforms in the Sangguniang Kabataan, the Filipino youth can look forward to an improved system that is more relevant and responsive to their needs.

These reforms will be tackled side by side with the postponement of the SK elections this year.

At this point, there is a consensus that we need to reboot the SK. And we need more young people to participate in the discussion in the next few weeks.

Let’s use the time before the next SK elections next year to pass these needed reforms, convince more young people to participate and run so that the SK can finally live up to its intended potential.

Bam: Time Running Out on SK Reform Bill

Senator Bam Aquino calls on colleagues to hasten the passage of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) reform bill, saying the time to introduce needed changes in the existing system is running out.

“We have less than two months remaining to introduce the changes that we are pushing for to make it more effective in addressing the needs of the youth,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.

Sen. Bam’s “Liga ng Bayaning Kabataan (LBK)” bill was among several bills consolidated under Senate Bill No. 2401 or the Youth Development and Empowerment Act of 2014.

According to the bill, Congress has until February 2015 to introduce the needed reforms in the existing system. If not, the elections will push through in February of this year with the current problematic system.

Instead of having the system abolished, Bam pushed for the suspension of the 2013 SK elections to pave way for introduction of needed reforms that will help turn the youth into better public servants in the future.

During the recent two-day Hackathon on SK, Bam urged the youth to actively participate in the shaping of the reform bill, which is currently undergoing interpellations in the upper chamber.

“We call on the youth to actively participate in the formation of this bill. Your input can be a big help as we craft a law that will introduce crucial reforms in the system,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said this is the best time for the youth to pitch in their ideas, which will be introduced during the amendment stage.

“The reforms we are pushing are crucial as they will harness volunteerism among the youth and pull them away from clutches of partisan politics,” the senator said.

The measure proposes to expand the age range for officers to 18 to 24 years old from the current range of 15 to 17 years old

The bill also pushes for increased participation for youth through the creation of the Local Youth Development Council (LYDC), composed of youth leaders from universities and colleges, the Church and other religious groups, and communities, that will support the SK and ensure the creation of better programs and policies for the Filipino youth.

 

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