GOVERNMENT authorities, through concerned offices and agencies, need to develop the country’s youngsters, boys and girls, into world-class leaders and highly-competitive workers.
As our future leaders, youngsters play a key role in the socio-economic development of this poverty-stricken and graft-prone Southeast Asian nation of more than 100 million people.
Thus, the youth, at an early age, should be involved in local governance by providing them with all the support that we can give them, according to Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.
The Senate committee on youth, chaired by Senator Angara, has approved amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 10742, otherwise known as the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015.
The proposed amendments aim to further enhance the participation of the youth in local governance, said Angara.
He made the statement in his sponsorship speech of Senate Bill (SB) 2124, a substitute bill of SB Nos. 1088, 1266 and 1401 filed by Sens. Angara, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Imee Marcos, respectively.
SB No. 2124 also grants monthly honoraria to SK officials, including the secretary and treasurer. At present, only the SK chairman receives a monthly honorarium.
The issue of honoraria is one of the main reasons why fewer youngsters want to become an SK councilman, secretary or treasurer.
The bill also grants additional privileges to SK officials, including their entitlement to appropriate civil service eligibility provided they have rendered their full terms of office.
We agree with the boyish-looking Angara that the youth should be given a place in the everyday business of building our nation and serving the Filipino people.
Thus, members of Congress have no choice but to approve SB 2124.
