Weeks after the Sangguniang Kabataan elections last November 30, the newly elected officers are welcomed with a dilemma. Before the year ends, the youth leaders hope to end the year with projects for their communities which also signify the start of their leadership. However, this is now hindered by the lack of funds.
Prior to the start of the campaign, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced that appointed SK Treasurers per barangay are obliged to undergo bookkeeping training and secure a certificate of completion from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
However, several SK chairmen complained that in order to secure an account for the SK funds, their appointed SK treasurers need to be able to take their oath. However, they won’t be able to do so without the said certification.
The start of the problem
The cycle starts with the obligatory certification. However, upon interview with TESDA, several personnel from the office are not aware of the mandate from the DILG. Furthermore, the appointed youth leaders pointed out that no courses are being offered that would cater to the urgent need of the training.
“Yana kasi patapos naman gud it tuig. Mamayda kami hito mga next year. Kami didi ha TESDA, waray man liwat ako nabasahan na circular,” a TESDA officer told Opinyon 8.
This leads to further questions as to who should take the initiative. TESDA pointed out that it is normally the Local Government Units who would arrange and allocate funds for the said training while TESDA would provide the accredited trainers and other necessary preparations from their end.
On the other hand, some youth leaders are adamant regarding the training under the LGU as they pointed out the expensive and absurd registration fee. For about P1,700, it was revealed that some LGU includes the payment for the venue in the said fee. However, more often than not, the venue is within the municipal hall. The exorbitant fee also does not justify the covered food for the participants who often complain that what they get is far from what they paid for. In addition, many appointed treasurers are students or do not have enough financial capability to afford the registration fee.
Solutions turned to problems
The purpose of the DILG to ensure that appointed officers are capable and competent is understandable. However, unless the DILG, LGUs and TESDA come up with a solution to the dilemma, this “solution” will continue to be a problem that would hinder the implementation of projects which would supposedly benefit the community.
If the said training will have to wait until next year, the questions would be specifically when? Until these young idealistic minds are moving and passionate to serve, hopefully the local officials will not wait until these young leaders lose interest and become one of the many stagnant officials who simply sit and wait for their honorariums while leaving their communities behind.
If there is a chicken-and-egg situation, this is clearly one of them.
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