Additional honoraria, scholarships for new SK officials

THE newly elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in Cebu City may get additional honoraria and scholarship grants from the Cebu City government.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced that he plans to provide additional honoraria as well as scholarship grants to the young politicians, regardless if they are affiliated with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) or the opposition Barug Team Rama – PDP Laban.

“But they have to earn it, I made that very clear. This is not just a pension. We’ll give them assignments such as those involving sports activities, garbage collection monitoring and things like that. They will be the ones to organize them,” said Osmeña during the oathtaking of the SK officials yesterday at the Cebu Institute of Technology – University (CIT – U).

As to how much the additional honorarium would be and the mechanics of availing of the scholarship programs is still being finalized.

The ceremonial oath-taking of all the newly-elected SK officials, from chairpersons to councilors, was organized by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Cebu City.

Joy Calvo, acting chief of DILG – Cebu City, said the event was part of their agency’s mandate to orient the youth on the tasks and obligations expected of them as members of the SK.

DILG has tentatively scheduled the election for the SK federation on May 29. Whoever wins will sit as ex-officio member of the Cebu City Council.

“But that’s still subject to change. Usually, the election takes place 15 days after the orientation. Unless there’s anything that will affect the schedule, we’re eyeing to have the elections this May 29,” said Calvo.

Forty-one of the SK chairpersons are allied with BO-PK while 37 are with Barug Team Rama–PDP-Laban.

SK councilor-elect Jacob Ingles of Barangay Adlaon, said he was happy with the mayor’s announcement but reminded his fellow SK officials to serve their respective constituents first before getting too preoccupied with the incentives and scholarship grants.

“Dili man gyud pangwartahay ang SK. Unahon dapat ang mga serbisyo sa mga kabantan-onan kay Kani siya (honorarium) para man ni sa paglambo sa atong kabatan-onan (SK is not a means of making money. Providing the needs and services to our youth should be prioritized and the honorarium would help in the development of the youth),” said Ingles.