Brgys told to submit SK fund use report
Local government units in the barangay level have less than a month left to submit their annual report on the utilization of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) funds last year.
In its online report released yesterday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on concerned officials of all barangays to send their respective report not later than March 15 as part of the preparation for the upcoming Barangay and SK elections this May 14.
DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo Año emphasized that disclosing the SK fund use would assure that the allocated budget is “spent judiciously.”
“Bilang mga lingkod bayan, nararapat lamang na ipaalam ng mga barangay sa mga mamamayan kung paano nila ginastos ang pondong nakalaan para sa mga kabataan,” Año said.
DILG spokesperson Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said each barangay is required to provide the report on SK fund utilization to the agency, through its National Barangay Operations Office, furnishing a copy to the National Youth Commission.
The 2017 annual reports on SK funds may be submitted via email at nboo.dilgco@gmail. com with a copy sent to NYC via sanggunnian.nyc@gmail.com.
Año said it is the barangaylevel Task Force on Youth Development (TFYD) that prepares the report on the utilization of SK funds.
The TFYD is comprised of five members chaired by a Sangguniang Barangay (SB) member, preferably the chairperson of the Committee on Women and Family while the rest of the members are picked from the list of nominees of the youth organizations in the barangays.
Año said also part of the agency’s advocacy on transparency and accountability, the TFYD has to formulate the Annual Barangay Youth Investment Program until such time the new SK officials are elected.
He added among the responsibilities of the TFYD is to monitor the implementation of the programs and projects on youth development and empowerment.
This special body, he added, must hold regular inventories of all the properties, finances, and documents so as to ensure the smooth transition of the incoming SK officials.
Moreover, Malaya also reminded all barangays that they should reserve funds for the mandatory training of all SK officials that may be elected this coming May 14.
He, however, said the cost of these trainings must be sourced from the 10 percent of the Barangay General Fund reserved for youth projects.
Malaya said DILG, through the Local Government Academy, is already ready to conduct the mandatory training for the newly elected SK officials but without the reserved funds, their SK officials would not be able to attend the trainings.
Under the guidelines issued by the Commission on Elections in 2017, particularly on the allocation and utilization of SK Funds, “the 10 percent of the general fund of the barangay allocated for the SK shall be used solely for youth development and empowerment programs and projects until the new set of SK officials shall have been duly elected and qualified.”
It also stated that the SK funds have to be allocated for the mandatory training and SK Pederasyon elections and for youth development and empowerment programs and projects.
These activities are aimed to “promote and ensure equitable access to quality education, youth employment and livelihood, antidrug abuse, gender sensitivity, sports development, and capacity building, among others.”
B. Miasco/MBG