President Benigno Aquino III has signed into law the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 on Jan. 15, 2016, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on Tuesday.
“The law seeks to strengthen and empower the SK and transform it into a useful conduit for youth involvement in community development,” Coloma said.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez III is one of the principal authors of the bill in the House of Representatives.
Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Youth, earlier said the law includes an anti-dynasty provision which bars relatives of local elected and appointed officials up to the second degree of consanguinity and relatives of national and appointed officials from sitting as SK officials.
The senator is a cousin of the President.
The NYC hailed the anti-dynasty provision as a “big win for political reforms.”
The group said 420,000 youth leaders are expected to be inducted this year.
Each of the 42,000 barangays will be composed of the SK chairperson, seven kagawads, and an appointed secretary and treasurer.
The measure also adjusts the age limit of SK officials from 15 to 17 to 18 to 24 years old.
The senator said this will make them legally capable of entering into contracts and be held accountable and liable for their actions.
The SK Reform Act likewise provides the creation of the Local Youth Development Council, a council that will support the Sangguniang Kabataan and ensure the participation of more youth through youth organizations.
“The reforms in place for SK has just rocked the boat of Philippine politics. Now that the Reform Act has been passed, we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that the necessary structural and capacity building support are ready for the SK,” NYC Chairperson Gio Tingson said.
Tiongson said the NYC is now in the process of crafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations to ensure that such reforms in the SK will be carried out.