DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Tuesday reminded new Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to refrain from appointing relatives as council secretaries and treasurers.
"This appointment will mirror the SK officials’ credibility and shall be a precedent to their leadership," he said in a statement.
In Memorandum Circular 2023-167, the DILG said SK secretaries and treasurers must not be within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national, regional, provincial, city, municipal or barangay official in the locality where he/she seeks to be appointed.
The new circular superseded DILG-issued MC No. 2018-131 dated August 15, 2018, which initially set the guidelines on the appointment of SK secretaries and treasurers.
Aside from doing away with appointing relatives, Abalos said SK officials must choose qualified secretaries and treasurers within 60 days from their assumption of office.
He said the same memorandum spells out amended rules to assist SK officials in choosing a qualified secretary and treasurer pursuant to Section 10 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10742 (SK Reform Act of 2015) as amended by RA 11768.
The appointee must also be a resident of the barangay for not less than one year; able to read and write Filipino, English, or the local dialect; and, must not have been convicted by final judgment of any crime involving moral turpitude.
Abalos said the SK treasurer must also have an educational background relating to business administration, accountancy, finance, economics, or bookkeeping.
The SK chairperson is only allowed to consider other suitable nominees if no member meets these educational requirements.
He added that the appointed SK secretaries and treasurers must undergo the mandatory training program before they can assume office, with the latter undergoing mandatory bookkeeping training from and be duly certified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority before assumption to office. (PNA)
