SK urged to buy COVID care kits
FORMER Senator JV Ejercito urged the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to use a portion of their funds to procure COVID-19 home care kits for the nation’s youth amid a surge of cases driven by the Omicron variant.
Ejercito said youth councils in every barangay can initiate procurement of COVID-19 home care kits, which include vitamins, disinfectants, and medication, among others, for their fellow youth.
The former Senator said the purchase of home care kits could be part of key programs to be rolled out by SK federations and councils for their constituents in 2022.
“This can be done in the form of a supplemental budget. Our SKs can also make use of their savings from their funds from previous years,” Ejercito said in a statement.
“Dahil sa restrictions, wala masyadong sports activities ngayon, walang paliga, walang barangay fiesta celebrations, walang inter-barangay activities, walang lakbay-aral. Gamitin natin sa wasto ang SK funds para pangontra ng kabataan laban sa COVID-19,” he added.
Under the 2022 General Appropriations Act, about P19,180,825,000 worth of funds were allotted for the SK.
This is 10 percent of the national tax allotments for barangays under the 2022 GAA amounting to P191,808,250,000.
Section 20 of Republic Act No. 10742 or the SK Law states that ten percent of the barangay general fund shall be set aside for the SK which would be ‘disbursed solely for youth development and empowerment purposes.’
“Ngayong may surge ng COVID-19 at may mga health breaks sa ating academic institutions, gamitin din natin ang pondo ng SK para sa home care kits ng kabataan,” Ejercito said.
The former Senator also said President Rodrigo Roa Duterte could issue an executive order to guide all local government units in the immediate utilization of SK funds for COVID-19 response.
Ejercito said the Philippine government’s budget, health, and interior departments can also issue implementing rules and regulations in support of the proposed executive order.
