The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) (Youth Council) is the governing body in

every chapter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan (Youth Federation). Each

barangay in the Philippines is mandated by law to have its own chapter of the
Katipunan ng Kabataan, aging from 15 to 21 years old who resides in their
respective barangays for at least 6months and registered in the Sangguniang
Kabataan, or in the official list in the custody of the barangay secretary. It is
the local youth program and projects implementation partner of the
government. The Katipunan ng Kabataan members elect their officers known
as Sangguniang Kabataan which serves as the local youth legislature in the
village. The Sangguniang Kabataan is an off-shoot of * the KB or the
Kabataang Barangay (Village Youth) which was abolished when the Local
Government Code of 1991 was enacted.

The Sangguniang Kabataan is the youth legislature in every local village or

community. They are in the age bracket of 15 to below 18 years old during
the time of election. They initiate policies, programs and projects for the
development of youth in their respective political territories. The Chairman of
the Sangguniang Kabataan acts as the Chief Executive of the Sanggunian
(Council) while the Kagawad (Councilor) as the legislative council. The
Kagawads approve resolutions of the Sanggunian and appropriates the
money allotted to the council, a share in the revenue of the Barangay.

The Chairman automatically sits in the Sangguniang Barangay (Village The

Sangguniang Kabataan is the youth legislature in every local village or
community. They are in the age bracket of 15 to below 18 years old during
the time of election. They initiate policies, programs and projects for the
development of youth in their respective political territories. The Chairman of
the Sangguniang Kabataan acts as the Chief Executive of the Sanggunian
(Council) while the Kagawad (Councilor) as the legislative council. The
Kagawads approve resolutions of the Sanggunian and appropriates the
money allotted to the council, a share in the revenue of the Barangay.

The Chairman automatically sits in the Sangguniang Barangay (Village and

Sports, one of the standing committees in the village council. Every
Sangguniang Kabataan is then federated into municipal and city federations,
then city and municipal federations are federated into a provincial federation.

The barangay SK Chairman represents the barangay in the municipal or city

federation. The presidents of the city and municipal federation becomes a
member of the provincial or metropolitan federation. They elect their own
president as well. The presidents of highly urbanized and independent
component cities (Metropolitan Federation) and the provincial federations
compose the membership in the national federation. They elect the national
federation president who automatically sits in the National Youth Commission
as ex-officio member of the commission.
Except national federation, each level of the federation form municipal, city
to provincial is governed by the Local Executive Committee composed mostly
of the seven regularly elected officers of the federation. Since 1992, there
have been three simultaneous nationwide SK elections held in the Philippines
which each term lasting from three to five years due to amendment of the
regular 3-year term of the council. After every election, association officers
are chosen. The elected presidents of the municipal associations sit as ex-
officio members of the municipal councils, while the provincial president sits
on the provincial board. All of these ex-officio members automatically chair
the respective councils' committees on youth and sports development.

Hon. Jane Censoria Cajes from Bohol was elected SK National President in an
election in Feb. 2008. She is the first woman president of SK.

I do believe though that there SK leaders out there who continue to work for
their barangays in all honesty and are dedicated to improving living
conditions and facilities in cooperation with their respective barangay
chairmans and kagawads. I believe that the SK serves as the training ground
of the youth since we embody the future of our community and as future
leaders, it is better that we start young and experience governance inorder to
understand and address the needs of the youth in the barangay, achieve an
understanding of the local government system and develop a greater level of
social consciousness at a young age through immersing ourselves with
community work via SK