SK execs to get P2T per month
The Cebu City’s executive department plans to give P2,000 monthly allowance to all 720 Sangguniang Kabataan councilors, secretaries, and treasurers in the city.
Jess Abellanosa, executive director of the Cebu City Local Youth Development Office, said his office will be the one to process and monitor the accomplishments of the SK officials of 80 barangays in the city.
“This is the first time that the local government will give allowance to SK officials. First time in the whole Philippines because it is not mandated,” he told members of the City Council’s committee on finance and budget.
The P8.64 million budget covering the allowances of 720 SK officials from July to December this year is included in the proposed P66.47 million Supplemental Budget-2.
Abellanosa said the barangay chairpersons are not included in the city’s monthly allowance because they are entitled to get honoraria from the barangays since they will sit as ex-officio members of their respective barangay councils.
He said his office will accept the requirements needed before the release of the honoraria from the city government.
These include the monthly accomplishment reports, copies of resolutions, minutes of every sessions, attendance of meetings and mandatory trainings, among others.
City Councilor Margarita Osmeña, chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, told Abellanosa to ensure that the release of the honoraria will not be delayed.
Osmeña said the office of Abellanosa should make sure that the funds are distributed properly without sacrificing the efficiency of the new system.
City Councilor Eugenio Gabuya, Jr., for his part, expressed his concern that the SK officials will depend on the honorarium that they will receive from the city.
“My point here is the quarterly report should be thoroughly perused para makita kon unsa ilang nakat-unan ug unsa ilang nahuman and they should be informed that it is not given because they are elected officials,” he said.
Abellanosa said his office will create a team to monitor the accomplishment reports of the barangay SK offices.
Osmeña said the SK-Federation in Cebu City can also assist the office of Abellanosa in this concern.
Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/MBG