Table 1 - uploaded by Faye Balanon
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
There is an emerging movement worldwide to give the youth a direct role in shaping policies and programs. The Philippines has institutionalized the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), a youth governance mechanism created by law, with its own budget and a national agency as secretariat. The law creating the SK, however, is now more than a decade old. The Dep...
Similar publications
Analyzing data from subregions in Poland (NTS-3) including forms of economic
activity and data describing the environment of young people following question arises: What
factors, affect most, the interest in higher studies of young Poles? The aim of this article is
therefore to determine factors that have the greatest impact on the decision of youn...
This study examined the cause of conflict and resolution strategies employed in the management of community-driven projects (CDPs) in selected public and private estates in Lagos State. Primary and secondary data were used. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire, in-depth interviews with key informants and personal observati...
A new NS Live Case from the Netherlands is now available on the PGI web site. “Every Child Safe Forever”, a case prepared by Marc Dinkgreve, is an exploration of the steps taken over the past decade by Youth Protection Amsterdam Region to identify and remedy the sources of systemic breakdown which had led to a number of problems, including the 2004...
This study identified the various farming activities carried out by Nigerian youths and documented emerging trends in their involvement in agriculture with a view to ascertaining their level of involvement in adding value to agricultural produce in Akoko South-West local government area (LGA), Ondo State, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique...
Agriculture has for once been the main source of income in Nigeria, but during the oil boom era, agriculture was sidelined for petroleum products as the major source of income, since then, agricultural products has suffered significant setback as most of our food were imported from foreign countries, apart from the fact that many people are no more...
Citations
... The research study by Domingono et al. (2019) provided insights into the Sangguniang Kabataan's grassroots structure and the ongoing debate about its effectiveness in empowering the youth. On the other hand, Balanon et al. (2007) emphasize the perspective of youth within a specific barangay, pointing out the need for increased awareness and active engagement among the young population. This study seeks to address these deficiencies by investigating the perceptions of young Filipinos regarding the SK's function within their respective communities and the overall democratic framework of the Philippines. ...
The Sangguniang Kabataan is an important institution in the Philippines that represents the interests of youth and engages them in local governance. This study examines the perceptions of young Filipinos regarding the Sangguniang Kabataan’s (SK) participation in local government, focusing on understanding how youth perspectives influence the efficacy of SK initiatives. The research integrated a descriptive quantitative research design. A total of 32 participants were involved in the study, providing insights into their demographic profiles, perceptions of SK duties and functions, levels of participation in SK activities, and suggestions for improving SK officials and their activities. The findings reveal that while respondents generally recognize the importance of the SK in representing youth in local government, there are areas where its effectiveness can be enhanced, such as in implementing youth-focused programs and initiatives. The study also highlights barriers to youth participation in SK activities, including lack of awareness and time constraints. Recommendations for improving youth engagement in the SK include prioritizing advocacy for youth-related issues, enhancing communication with young individuals, and focusing on initiatives that address critical issues like poverty, education, and mental health. By implementing these recommendations, the SK can better serve the needs and aspirations of the youth population and create a more responsive and inclusive local governance structure.
... The UNICEF-Manila Foundation has funded a systematic and national evaluation of the impact of SK on young people as a basis for making more reasonable and effective recommendations (Balanon, 2007). ...
As of 2021, the International Monetary Fund ranked the Philippines as the 27th largest economy in the world based on nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the 10th largest economy in Asia. As a result, the nation has complete faith in the leadership abilities of its youth and is committed to promoting the common welfare. The study is a welcome addition to the relevant literature because it determined the SK Chaipersons' knowledge of and compliance with the 2015 SK Reform Law (Republic Act No. 10742). The fact that the majority of SK Chairpersons in Cabanatuan City was aware of the 2015 SK Reform Law is an encouraging sign that the elected youth in Cabanatuan City is responsible and accountable in their position as SK Chairperson. The awareness of the SK Chairperson plays a vital role in our society and can encourage youth participation in activities. Yet, there is still a need to further develop the technical skills of the youth so that they can perform their duties effectively.
... In December 1992, the first-ever Sangguniang Kabataan election was held wherein 42,000 barangays participated (SK Operations Manual 2017). Commissioned research by United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Balanon et al. (2007), looked into the effectiveness of SK councils across the country. Among the key findings of the study was that the SK's performance for the past ten years has been generally weak, in terms of coming up with legislation, promoting the development of young people, submitting reports, and holding consultations with their constituents. ...
... The performances on the programs focusing on sports development, anti-drug abuse, environmental protection, health, and capability building are rated as "high". These findings run counter to the study of Balanon et al. (2007) that revealed the weak performance of youth leaders in terms of coming up with legislation promoting the development of young people and holding consultations with their constituents. However, the previous study also found a huge potential, which led it to recommend that the weaknesses be addressed by affecting changes in existing policies. ...
This study was designed to determine the partisanship and performance of youth leaders locally known as Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in the Second District of Negros Oriental, Philippines. This study also aimed to determine the profile of the youth leaders and the extent of partisanship before and after the election. There were 153 youth leaders who participated in the study. The descriptive research design with the quantitative method of data gathering was utilized. The questionnaire was the primary data-gathering tool triangulated with focus group discussions and interviews.
Based on the data collated, the following findings were revealed: The majority of the youth leaders are aged 22 - 26 years old, males, single, studying in college, receive a monthly honorarium of P 5,001 - 6,000, and do not have any official political party. There is a high extent of partisanship before and after the election. The programs implemented were focused on equitable access to education, environmental protection, climate change, youth employment and livelihood, health, anti-drug abuse, gender sensitivity, sports development, and capability building. The youth leaders have high performance in the programs focusing on sports development, anti-drug abuse, environmental protection, and health. On the other hand, the programs on climate change, equitable access to education, gender sensitivity, and youth employment and livelihood are rated “moderate”.
... These young people are to be given, in order and iteratively, space, voice, audience, and influence. In practice, however, as shown in the evaluation by Balanon et al. (2007), the Sangguniang Kabataan did not maximise its potential for, among others, the weak support, supervision, and assistance provided to the young leaders (25). The ASEAN Children's Forum (ACF), on the other hand, is only partially grounded in either frame principles for although it provides ASEAN children venue to express their views on issues that matter to them in the region, there is no onus in ACF's Terms of Reference (1) to give the children's views due weight. ...
The Philippines has championed child participation from the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to the creation of child participation structures in domestic and regional intergovernmental governance. This has been possible because the country has strong anchors that ground CRC in the country. We explore one such anchor, kapwa, a Filipino equivalent for the Western ‘other’ but means more as ‘shared self’ or ‘together with the person’ and identified as a core Filipino value and/or virtue ethics. Using a model of social ontology, we turn this anchor into a ground of child participation. In a kapwa ground, child participation expands from the communicative processes the CRC confines it to social engagements; from fixed and hierarchical child-adult roles to negotiated and interdependent roles. Kapwa child participation also gives way to a kapwa childhood construct that can integrate the diverse Filipino childhood constructs, a construct that acknowledges children’s vulnerability and need of protection as it acknowledges their equality with adults; children are simultaneously human beings and ‘becomings’. In this paper, we present a path, which other investigators or practitioners can follow, to domesticate and to develop alternative local discourses that could enhance global agreements.
... While critics found that the Kabataang barangay was created to counter antigovernment movements among the youth, and exposed them to corrupt and opportunistic tactics from a young age, this represented an important historical step in empowering the youth towards political participation (Balanon et al. 2007; Montes 2018) . ...
... Among many reasons, abolitionists argued that the SK was an avenue for political patronage and influenced young leaders with poor governance practices, which is supported by studies and literature. Using key informant interviews of more than 40 SK officials around the country, a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) led study found that the SK taught many negative behaviors to youth leaders such as nepotistic and corrupt practices (Balanon et al. 2007;Ponce et al. 2013). In 2002, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines also called for the abolition of the SK due to reports of financial corruption among SK leaders, and proposed that youth representatives be appointed instead to the city, municipal, and provincial councils (Santos 2015). ...
... The same UNICEF and DILG study also writes that the public's perception of the SK's performance of its functions is weak. Key areas of weakness include crafting proper legislation, lack of consultation with youth organizations and constituents, and the disconnect between the youth's identified needs with actual projects being implemented by SK leaders (Balanon et al. 2007). Only 10% of 30 accomplishment reports in NYC's records recorded legislative acts. ...
... Balanon et al [9] found out that SK Officials and representatives are most worried about corruption at the barangay and municipal levels. They are concerned about abusive politicians who engaged in nepotism and narco-politics and meddle in election results via vote buying. ...
... It has to emerge from within and involve the youth when it comes to electoral processes and decision-making of a local Municipality. Though the concept of participation has been argued to mean different things, as Levine and Weiner explained participation is a jargon word separate from any context and has been manipulated by vastly different groups of people to mean entirely different things 23 . With regard to the study, participation means the involvement of the youth in decision making and governance of the local municipality. ...
... It is the acknowledgement of the local youth knowledge as a means of socio-political and economic transformation in the municipality. Levine and Weiner state that in the new South Africa, participation must not merely become a legitimation process 23 . It should be an essential component of a broad political programme in which local knowledge becomes a driving force for social transformation. ...
... This pioneering effort sets the Philippines apart in the area of youth involvement in local governance. The setup allows the Filipino youth to acquire leadership skills by actually becoming leaders: learning how to speak and be heard in the world of adults and be empowered to create programs and policies that will help solve society's problems (Balanon et al. 2007). So far, the Philippines is the only country in the world to have this kind of grassroots-based, government-funded political structure for young people (Balanon et al. 2007). ...
... The setup allows the Filipino youth to acquire leadership skills by actually becoming leaders: learning how to speak and be heard in the world of adults and be empowered to create programs and policies that will help solve society's problems (Balanon et al. 2007). So far, the Philippines is the only country in the world to have this kind of grassroots-based, government-funded political structure for young people (Balanon et al. 2007). Because of this, the SK is considered a quintessential example of youth participation in local governance. ...
... With replicable models, there is the advantage of being able to learn from other people's mistakes and by-pass the normally long learning process and go directly to adopting and implementing practices that have been proven effective in other locations. One glaring finding in a study of SK accomplishments is that SK councils do not submit reports, or these reports fail to reach the NYC (Balanon et al. 2007). This is one issue that the NYC can look into that has the potential to be addressed quickly at no high cost. ...
Participatory disaster risk reduction (DRR) has been promoted to integrate the views of multiple actors and stakeholders and involve people in the decisions that affect their lives. Since 1974, a number of national policies in the Philippines have been encouraging the involvement of the Filipino youth in DRR initiatives in their communities. This study reviews the implementation of these policies through the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth councils) in Infanta Municipality and Makati City on the island of Luzon. It attempts to show the discrepancies between ideal scenarios reflected in the policies and actual youth council participation in DRR in practice by examining the availability of funds for youth councils to conduct DRR activities; the knowledge of youth council officials on the 2010 DRR law (Republic Act 10121); and the role of youth council officials in the Barangay (village level) DRR Committees. Several recommendations on how to enhance youth council participation in DRR are presented. Lessons from the Philippine policy experience can be useful for other countries in raising the involvement of their youth in DRR.
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Credit Policy Council’s (DA-ACPC) agri-fishery credit programs towards enhanced credit facilities through intensified communication strategies in the hopes of promoting greater awareness for its credit programs for farmers and fisherfolk in the country.
The respondents of this study are composed of forty (40) members of the Regional Loan Facilitation Teams (R-LoFTs) and forty (40) program farmers and fisherfolk beneficiaries. The descriptive method was used. The respondents were chosen based on the qualifications included in the scope and delimitation of the study. The author used different statistical tools in providing a systematic way of organizing the analyzed data.
This study reveals that the they can adequately understand about the various DA-ACPC credit programs namely the Expanded SURE Aid and Recovery Assistance Program (SURE COVID-19), Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs (KAYA), and Agri-Negosyo (ANYO). Overall, this study shows that the respondents assessed the DA-ACPC’s existing communication strategies moderately effective.
Findings suggest that the DA-ACPC’s existing credit programs were all highly effective based on the four standards for assessing the quality of evaluation activities – Utility, Feasibility, Propriety, and Accuracy.
The enhancement part of various DA-ACPC credit programs in terms of evaluation activities will provide ways for all stakeholders to develop and implement action plan to reach more beneficiaries in the countryside especially the poor in rural areas through intensified communication strategies.
Keywords: Credit programs; Communication strategies; Loan Facilitation Teams; Farmers; Fisherfolk
The youth are recognized to have enormous potential in addressing concerns like disaster risk reduction (DRR) because of their energy and number. In the 2010 DRR law of the Philippines, the government is encouraging youth participation in DRR activities, such as in organizing quick response groups, as well as in the inclusion of DRR in youth council projects. To investigate the extent of youth participation in DRR, questionnaire surveys and interviews were conducted in 36 villages of Infanta Municipality and 33 villages of Makati City. Respondents were asked to rate their involvement in and prioritization of the village-level implementation of 20 relevant Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) tasks and to share details about their past, present, and future DRR activities. The study finds that although youth councils place high importance to almost all of the HFA tasks, few youth councils have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Research findings show that little has been done to actually involve the youth in DRR in their community, especially in villages where youth councils did not allocate DRR funds. This study tries to contribute to empirical research on the visibility and significance of the roles of young people in DRR.
