15/11/2025
| STRENGTHENING YOUTH GOVERNANCE: NYC - BAGUIO AREA OFFICE BOLSTERS SK TRANSPARENCY AND LEADERSHIP IN BAGUIO CITY
The National Youth Commission (NYC) - Baguio Area Office continues to champion accountable and empowered youth leadership as it actively took part in the first batch of the District Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Monitoring for the second semester of 2025, held on November 8, 2025, at the Multipurpose Hall, Baguio City.
The activity marked another milestone in the NYC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen youth governance and ensure that SK councils across Baguio City remain compliant with national standards and policies. This monitoring initiative aimed to assess the functionality, transparency, and accountability of SK councils in implementing youth development programs and projects that align with the mandates of the SK Reform Act and related policy issuances.
Representing the NYC - Baguio Area Office were Dr. Sheridan Athena Gajete, Mr. Dave Homer Ariola, and Mr. Michael Bernal, alongside City Youth Development Officers Ms. Vanessa Landa Olson and Ms. Francis Ann Ckeska Delim. Together, they spearheaded the first round of district monitoring and capacity-building sessions for SK officials in Baguio City.
During the activity, the team evaluated the SK councils’ compliance with key documentary and operational requirements, including the Comprehensive Barangay Youth Development Plan, Annual Barangay Youth Investment Program, SK Annual Budget, SK Financial and Database Book, and Katipunan ng Kabataan Profiling. These documents play a crucial role in promoting good governance, ensuring the responsible use of public funds, and advancing evidence-based planning for youth-centered initiatives.
Beyond compliance checks, the NYC team also conducted a series of orientation sessions designed to strengthen the capacity of SK officials as leaders of their generation. Dr. Gajete led an in-depth discussion on the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) of the Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and NYC, outlining the latest guidelines on SK budget preparation and utilization. She also tackled the DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-151, which highlights the proper formulation of the Comprehensive and Annual Barangay Youth Plans.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ariola discussed the Civil Service Commission Guidelines on SK Eligibility—empowering young officials to pursue government service careers—and the DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-138, which reinforces the alignment of SK programs with national youth development priorities. Mr. Bernal introduced the SK Web Portal, a digital platform designed to centralize SK data and reporting systems, and shared updated statistics on SK performance and youth participation in Baguio City.
The collaboration between the NYC - Baguio Area Office and the City Youth Development Office successfully emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and leadership in local youth governance. The session not only ensured SK councils’ compliance with operational standards but also deepened their understanding of updated policies, equipping them to design and implement programs that genuinely address the needs and aspirations of young people in their communities.
As the NYC - Baguio Area Office continues to nurture capable, ethical, and visionary youth leaders, the upcoming monitoring sessions, scheduled on November 22, 23, and 30, 2025, are expected to further strengthen the foundation of youth governance in the city, building a generation of young leaders who are ready to lead with integrity, innovation, and purpose—today and in the future.
