Aiza in Cebu for Sangguniang Kabataan Forum

Newly appointed National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Cariza “Aiza” Seguerra will be in Cebu City Monday, September 26, for a forum on the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), which is open to the public.

The “Understanding Choices Forum Future Leaders Series on Empowered Youth for Social Change, ‘The Reformed Sangguniang Kabataan Act’” forum will happen 2 p.m. at the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI)-Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center Plenary Hall, 35 Lopez Jaena Street (across Casa Gorordo Museum), Parian, Cebu City.

Plagued by issues of politicization, nepotism, among others, the SK has taken various forms and reforms through the years. Through the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 10742 (Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act) on January 15, 2016, the SK got a new lease on life after a three-year hiatus. Hopes are high with this reformed version as it expands the membership of its Katipunan ng Kabataan to the youth 15 to 30 years old, with the core youth group of 18- to 24-year-olds taking the helm of the youth council.

The new SK also includes an anti-dynasty provision, and further empowers the youth to take charge and enforce their mandate with its fiscal independence from their elder colleagues in the barangay.

NYC Chairperson Seguerra will talk about his vision for the youth and how he sees the youth contributing to nation building during the said forum, which is organized by RAFI in partnership with the Central Visayas Network of NGOs (CenVisNet) and the NYC. The new SK law and three case studies on youth engagement initiatives and best practices will also be presented.

This first “Understanding Choices Forum Future Leaders Series” intends to increase awareness of the public and key public and private sector leaders on the salient points of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10742 or. It would also showcase the various youth engagement initiatives and feature different youth groups that have already been actively involved in effecting positive change.