Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councils from two local government units (LGUs) have created remarkable projects that have had a positive impact on their communities, leading them to become national finalists for outstanding SK projects in the 5th Philippine Sangguniang Awards.
In an interview during the "DILG sa DZH Breaktime" program, SK Federation President and Chairperson Angelica Alcala of Barangay Mayao Crossing, Lucena, Quezon, shared how their project "Trolicaalaman" earned a spot in the awards.
Alcala explained that since their barangay is known for having "rails," they conceived a project that would help them reach out to the youth and provide educational services.
"Since kilala po ang aming barangay na may riles po, so naisip po ng SK Council kung ano po ang pwede at beneficial project ang pwede na magbebenefit ang ating mga katipunan ng mga kabataan sa Baranagay Mayao Crossing," Alcala said.
(Since our barangay is known for having rails, the SK Council thought of creating a project that would be beneficial to the youth in Barangay Mayao Crossing.)
"Yung Trolicaalaman po para po siyang mobile library pero ang twist po natin dito is sa trolley po. Yung trolley po kasi is yung transportation ng ating mga kababayan po para makapasok po sa ibang purok sa aming barangay."
(Trolicaalaman is like a mobile library, but with a twist—it’s transported using a trolley. The trolley is a means of transportation for our residents to access different areas in our barangay.)
The Trolicaalaman project offers free book lending services, free printing, and encourages out-of-school youth to consider enrolling in technical vocational courses. It also helps them learn through various educational activities. The youth volunteers are the ones who teach and mentor the youth.
In addition to Trolicaalaman, the SK of Mayao Crossing has also initiated other programs, including E-sports tournaments, application assistance, Lik-aral exams, educational assistance, leadership training, and basic career orientation.
The SK regularly conducts meetings to discuss concerns and suggestions for programs that address the needs of the youth in their community.
Similarly, SK Chairman Jericho Refuela of New Visayas, Panabo City, Davao del Norte, who is also among the 20 national finalists for outstanding SK projects in the 5th Philippine Sangguniang Awards, shared details about their project "Eco-ink."
"Ang project Eco-ink po ay inilunsad na project ng Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay New Visayas Panabo City dahil nalaman ng aming council na marami pong estudyante ang wala pong access sa pagpiprint at doon namin inilunsad itong aming Project Eco-ink," said Refuela.
(Eco-ink is a project launched by the Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay New Visayas, Panabo City, after our council realized that many students lacked access to printing services. That's when we introduced Project Eco-ink.)
The Eco-ink project, initially developed by the SK of New Visayas, later received support from students at Davao Del Norte State College. They proposed that plastic bottles could be exchanged for free printing services, thereby also contributing to environmental conservation.
Refuela shared that his personal experience with flooding at home motivated him to push for the project, which aims to reduce flooding, a common issue in their community.
This project aligns with their SK's campaign for Solid Waste Management, in coordination with the Barangay Council of New Visayas.
In addition to the positive effects of Eco-ink, Refuela and his fellow SK officials have implemented programs for youth, including Educational Cash Assistance and digital skills training for virtual assistance, which will help them secure jobs in the future.
