To the next youth leaders

The long-awaited barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) elections are finally here. We know the elections were postponed multiple times, but now, we are electing new sets of leaders for our barangay and in the youth sector. As the outgoing SK chair who has been in office for over five years and served as the SK Federation vice president in the small town of Bay in the southern part of Laguna, I’m thrilled to welcome a fresh wave of youth leaders. The journey leading to this point has been marked by postponements and uncertainty, but we’re finally here.

In just a month, we will bid farewell to the SK. We are about to leave our positions. It is a moment mixed with sighs of relief and a tinge of nostalgia. As we reflect on our time as SK leaders, we must admit that we could have harnessed the power and full potential of the youth more effectively. Yes, we take responsibility for any areas where we fell short. But we also acknowledge that the bureaucratic system often slowed down our efforts to support youth development within the government, making it a challenging journey.

Our roles in both barangay legislation and executive positions demanded that we craft youth ordinances and implement youth-related programs in an institution full of hard copies and unstreamlined procedures. Brainstorming local policies, conducting research, and surveys were overwhelming tasks, and implementing programs was an entirely different challenge.

Another aspect that made the SK challenging was working with members of the older generation who were supposed to guide us but were often more focused on their personal agendas than public service. This culture has been deeply rooted in government offices for decades, making it difficult for us as young leaders to navigate and make changes.

I recall lobbying for an education ordinance to secure funding for youth education programs. Our barangay council repeatedly rejected the proposal, even though we presented data and argued for its importance. The presiding officer even cited the Department of Education has its funds and a local ordinance would be a means of redundancy. Thanks to the support of the Sangguniang Bayan and the SK Federation president, we turned our proposal into a municipal ordinance, securing a minimum of at least 30 percent funding for education from the annual SK fund in our municipality.

Republic Act No. 10742 or the SK reform law was both a blessing and a challenge. It provided youth autonomy within the government but navigating the bureaucratic process was difficult, especially without a physical office. The lack of clear guidelines made it tough, and we often felt belittled by higher officials who were unfamiliar with this new law. We persisted and fought to serve the youth.

But the SK reform law has come a long way, thanks to the efforts of progressive youth groups and youth representatives. The law prevents political dynasties, ensures financial independence for the youth, and promotes consultative planning for youth programs through comprehensive and annual barangay youth development plans. Despite the challenges, we, as SK officials, have been advocates for good governance, rights, and youth voices within the government.

During the pandemic, it became clear that our basic social services were inadequate, impacting the youth significantly. We took steps to address this, launching “Project: Karunungan Sa Gitna ng COVID-19 Pandemic” to support distance learning for public school students. This initiative aimed to bridge the gap and ensure free and accessible education for all during the pandemic, which highlighted the challenges we face in accessing quality education and health care. The youth stepped up to bridge these gaps.

As we vote in the BSK elections today, we have the power to choose the future for the next two years and beyond.

And as we pass the torch to the new generation of youth leaders, we leave a legacy of hope and an unwavering belief in the power of the youth that they can always do better. Our youth administration had its lapses, but our commitment to the cause of youth development and nation-building remains strong. We entrust the future to the next set of capable hands, believing that the hopeful resistance of the youth to the government’s rotten system will continue to shine brightly and lead us toward a better tomorrow.

Bumoto para sa kinabukasan, iwagayway ang galing ng kabataan!

Roy Padrid, 25, is the outgoing SK chair of Barangay Dila in Bay, Laguna. His council was one of the recipients of the Outstanding SK Project in the 2021 Philippine SK Awards.