BAGUIO
CITY -- The Cordillera Regional Development Council and Regional Peace and
Order Council unanimously passed a resolution requesting the central offices of
the Department of Budget and Management and Commission on Audit to craft
guidelines authorizing Sangguniang Kabataan barangay councils to charge from SK
funds honoraria for other SK officials aside from SK chairpersons.
The resolution was initiated by Baguio City Mayor
Mauricio G. Domogan who said it is unfair for other SK officials such as
secretaries, treasurers and kagawads not to receive honoraria when they are
being mandated to perform duties and responsibilities.
Although it is explicitly provided in Republic Act
10742 or the SK Reform Act of 215 that it is only the SK chairperson that will
be entitled to receive honoraria from the barangays concerned, Domogan, who
chairs both the RDC-CAR and RPOC-CAR, said ways and means should be done to
grant at least minimal honoraria to SK kagawads, secretaries and treasurers
because they are also performing equally important duties and responsibilities
as youth leaders.
He said that based on his talks with SK leaders in the city, a good number of the
youth leaders did not aspire to become SK officials in their barangays because
of the alleged absence of minimal monetary benefits that will allow them to
defray even their transportation cost when attending meetings, thus, the need
for concerned government agencies to find how to authorize the grant of
honoraria to other SK officials to empower the youth to become active leaders
in their barangays.
According to him, the law mandates the allocation of
10 percent of barangay budgets for implementation of SK programs and projects
and honoraria to be granted to other SK officials can be sourced from the said
fund provided that appropriate guidelines be issued by concerned government
agencies on honoraria to other SK officials in barangays.
He said there are more active SK kagawads in barangays who deserve the
compensation for the exemplary services.
The
approved joint RDC-CAR and RPOC-CAR resolution will be transmitted to the DILG
and COA central offices for immediate action considering that SK officials
around the region are awaiting positive action from the concerned government
agencies considering the enormous duties and responsibilities that are being
demanded from them by barangay officials.
The Baguio City council earlier approved on first
reading a proposed ordinance granting financial assistance to all
Sangguniang Kabataan kagawads,
treasurers and secretaries in the city, defining procedures and providing funds
for the purpose.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales
stated that the local government recognizes the just share of all SK officials
in the aggressive promotion of youth empowerment, and towards the said end, it
fully supports the activities and endeavors of the SK.
The ordinance added all SK kagawads, treasurers and
secretaries in the city shall receive a monthly financial assistance in the
amount of P1,500, provided that, they shall actively participate in the
activities of organizations, specifically anti-drug abuse councils, barangay
council for the protection of children or the city anti-graffiti task force. --
Dexter A. See
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