LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – She heard the voices of disgruntled Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) secretaries and treasurers who sounded out their gripes loud and clear, and acted quickly on their complaints. Now, it is the turn of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to respond to a legitimate plea.
SK Federation president and concurrent board member Aezle Dumangeng filed late last year an ordinance that seeks to provide a monthly honorarium of Php500 for the SK secretary and SK treasurer.
She said the ordinance will help improve the conditions of these officials.
“Our people also looked up to SK secretaries and treasurers,” Ms. Dumangeng, also the SK chairperson at Barangay Baguinge in Kiangan town, told the ZigZag Weekly.
She noted that the SK secretaries and treasurers are hardworking and dedicated to their duties and lauded their contributions to Philippine society.
“They are also helping in putting together the youth’s expertise and energies in order to ensure in promoting the citizenry’s wellbeing,” she asserted.
Dumangeng is the chairperson of the committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s youth, sports development, games and amusement.
Under the ordinance, Php 2.1 million has been appropriated for this purpose. Funding for initial implementation would be sourced from the province’s General Funds.
At present, the SK secretary and treasurer in Ifugao are not receiving a single centavo.
It is very discouraging for SK secretaries and treasurers from economically disadvantaged families and who are living in remote barangays, to be taking a costly tricycle ride just to reach the town proper for a seminar or meeting.
Dumangeng also motioned in the ordinance that “the Sangguniang Panlalawigan commends the spirit of volunteerism, nationalism and patriotism of the SK secretaries and treasurers.” That’s all for quite some time and now.
Dumangeng reminded that members of the SK are considered as elective barangay officials, under Republic Act 10742, also known as the SK Reform Act of 2015.
The Php 500 monthly honorarium, however, is so small considering the high cost of living. It is grossly inadequate to support the needs of SK secretaries and treasurers, most of them are poor. Ifugao is one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines.
Dumangeng said the ordinance is important in addressing the problem on the dwindling interest of youth leaders to serve at the SK.
Key programs of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Ifugao and this intiative paved the way for better opportunities for the rank and file young public servants. Fortunately, Ms. Dumangeng is widely known for actively taking responsibility for the future of the province’s promising SK leaders. There is simply no substitute for hard work when it comes to achieving success or implementing a project. She gave ample time in consulting with other SK officials on this matter.
Eloquent speeches of politicians to uplift the lives of SK secretaries and treasurers are not enough to completely address this longstanding problem.
Providing them their allowances is the best way to make the SK secretaries and treasurers truly feel enabled.
Dumangeng’s foresight and ability to understand and appreciate the needs of SK secretaries and treasurers likewise enabled her to ensure a long-term approach in strengthening the SK. Way beyond her tenure of office. That’s what Board Member Dumangeng has.
The SK serves as the primary grassroots level organization for the promotion of the welfare of youngsters.
Under Dumangeng’s watch, it has been adopting policy reforms to further boost implementation of its key programs in line with the objectives of RA 10742. She vowed that the provision of the honoraria for SK secretaries and treasurers will be one of the priority tasks of her office this year.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s focus on the forthcoming Gotad festivity has relegated discussions on this ordinance. Its action is far from satisfactory.
The much-needed legislation for the availment of said benefit remains to be tackled because the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is busy with other matters. For one, board members just attended a SNAP-Aboitiz meeting at Zen Hotel in Santiago City, Isabela.
Thus, the need for Governor Jerry Dalipog to certify the passage of the ordinance as “urgent” and Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano, the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, to exert effort in mobilizing his allies at this august body to pass the measure that would benefit SK secretaries and treasurers across the province.
Unless the vice governor issue a strong encouragement for the ordinance’s enactment, attitudinal change among the other ten members of the influential and powerful Sangguniang Panlalawigan is unlikely to happen.
Hopes, however, are still high that the SK’s position on this concern would be given the highest importance by the governor and vice governor.
As it is, SK secretaries and treasurers continue to bear the burden and pain of their poor, shabby and distasteful treatment. Inaction of this pressing problem only belies the lawmakers’ disheartening attitudes. Certainly, there is no place for insensitivity at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall.
Not even a half-hearted support from them is acceptable. It doesn’t speak well of the legislators’ sensibility and love of people.
It is the most absurd practice of identifying the SK secretary and treasurer as custodians of records and funds, respectively, when they can’t even get their “just compensation.” Imagine, an SK treasurer who deliberately ignores the item “Personnel Services” in the annual budget. Indeed, the query arises: “Why have some quarters forsaken them?”
Board Member Aezle Dumangeng has a genuine and perfect gift, albeit its size, for the SK secretaries and treasurers. It has to be delivered at the soonest through a bi-partisan approach as a solution to the enormous difficulties faced and long felt by concerned parties, most especially those at far-flung and underserved villages.
It is a keystone action that shall surely hold the Sangguniang Panlalwigan in good stead. But, through further inaction by the powers-that-be is the next thing to contemplate? It won’t simply happen. The shoe is now on the other foot—the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s! It should reciprocate the mounting clamor to provide the cash-strapped SK secretaries and treasurers their monthly honoraria by immediately approving the resolution. **By Anthony A. Araos
