Senator Gatchalian Proposes National Federation for Sangguniang Kabataan to Boost Youth Participation in Governance
Manila — As 23.4 million registered youth voters head to their precincts to cast votes for their Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) representatives on Monday, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is advocating for the creation of a national federation dedicated to empowering the youth in governance.
According to a news release by Philippines News Agency, the proposal comes in the form of Senate Bill No. 1058. The bill aims to amend Section 21 of the SK Reform Act of 2015 (Republic Act No. 10742), addressing the absence of a national organization for SK that would bolster its critical role in nation-building. Under the proposed legislation, the Nasyonal na Pederasyon ng Sangguniang Kabataan would be constituted. This federation would be composed of elected presidents from the Panlalawigang Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan in various provinces. These provincial federations, in turn, would consist of convenors from municipal and city-level federations, which are made up of SK Chairpersons from individual barangays.
“Through SK, we can give our youth a chance to be part of governance in our communities,” said Senator Gatchalian. He added, “But we can further increase their contribution to society. That’s why I’m pushing for the creation of a national federation to enhance the capacity of SK to be part of the leadership of our country.”
The proposed bill also stipulates that the elected president of the Nasyonal na Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan would serve as an ex-officio member of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).
Senator Gatchalian, who has served three terms as the mayor of Valenzuela City, recognized that the SK already offers youth a platform for involvement in various aspects of government, such as local legislation and program implementation. By establishing a national SK federation, he aims to foster more efficient networking and consensus-building, particularly in the realms of governance issues and project implementation.