In Northern Samar
TACLOBAN CITY – The newly-elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in Northern Samar attended the SK Mandatory Training (SKMT) as they are to formally assume their posts beginning November 14.
The capability-building training is a prerequisite for assuming office. Those who won cannot assume if they cannot present the certificate of completion for the mandatory training even if they have already taken their oath.
The Provincial Youth Development Office (PYDO) headed by Anne Kirsten Tobes facilitated the training together with the Local Youth Development Offices (LYDOs) and the Municipal Local Government Operations Officers (MLGOOs).
The mandatory training was previously conducted by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National Youth Commission (NYC), however this year they allowed PYDO to conduct the training to make it more accessible to all SK officials.
The SKMT is mandated under Section 27 of RA No. 10742, commonly known as the SK Reform Act, imposing an additional requirement before the winning candidate can assume office, specifically, that they must undergo and successfully complete training to be administered by the NYC and the DILG.
Any SK official, whether elected or appointed, must undergo the mandatory training program before he or she can assume office.
The province has a total of 569 SK chairmen from 569 villages across 24 towns of the province.
Also during the training, the PYDO emphasizes to the participants the significance of the SKMT in providing orientation to the newly-elected youth officials on various aspects of basic knowledge and skills needed to effectively fulfill their roles and responsibilities like planning and budgeting, meetings, and resolutions, code of conduct and ethical standards, decentralization, and local governance.
The training also aims to assist the SK officials in identifying their priority programs for the allocated 10-percent development fund.
The SK officials were also reminded that they have to participate and attend continuing training programs during their incumbency to avoid sanction of disqualification or disciplinary actions.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
