By Cherry Joy D. Garma
LAOAG CITY, May 15 (PIA) — Republic Act 10742 also known as SK Reform Act mandates newly elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to undergo training first before they officially assume office.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Laoag City is set to conduct the mandatory training on May 18-19 here at the Laoag City auditorium in compliance with Republic Act 10742 also known as SK Reform Act.
“Sec. 30 of the RA 10742 requires them to attend the training. We have two batches of officials that will undergo said training,” said Andres A. Vendiola, Jr., city local government operations officer.
In Laoag City, there are a total of 502 SK officials that includes the chairmen and their councilors from the 80 barangays here.
However, Vendiola said that barangays that has only one councilor or has only a chairman with no councilors, like a case of one barangay here, will wait for further advise from the national government.
Mandates under the new rules on R.A. 10742 include provisions that funds for the SK shall be downloaded directly to SK for their use.
“Under the new rule, funds for the SK shall be downloaded to them independent from the barangay funds,” Vendiola said.
SK shall have a share of ten percent from the barangay Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
The Act states that SK fund shall be used in activities for the benefit of the youth such as anti-drug campaign, symposia, rehabilitation, sports development, and capability training for the youth.
The newly-elected officials will assume office on the noon of June 30 with 2 years of term following next election in May, 2020.
“We are encouraging all the SK proclaimed winners to attend the training spearheaded by the Learning Research Institute which is required, it is a prerequisite to their holding of office,” said Vendiola.
Meanwhile, barangay officials will hold their training after their assumption of office under the Barangay Newly-elected Officers program (BNEO). (Cherry Joy D. Garma/PIA1/Ilocos Norte)
