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September 13, 2025 | 12:19pm
Photo posted by the MBR 888 Travel and Tours on Facebook on Sept. 7, 2025, thanking the SK Federation of the City of Manila.
Mbr888travelandtours via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation of Manila on Friday, September 12, has defended its recent capacity-building and benchmarking activity in Bangkok, Thailand, saying the program was part of leadership training mandated by law.
In a clarificatory statement, the SK explained that while participation in the program was "voluntary," the inclusion of capacity development activities in youth development and investment plans is “explicitly required” under the SK Reform Act (Republic Act 10742), as amended by RA 11768.
"To harmonize these seemingly opposing concepts, it may be stated that the choice of training design and individual participation is voluntary, but the inclusion of capacity development activities in the CBYDP (Comprehensive Barangay Youth Development Plan) and ABYIP (Annual Barangay Youth Investment Program) is mandatory, as explicitly required by law," the SK said.
The federation said 667 of the city’s 896 SK chairpersons joined the September training, which included seminars, institutional learning and planning sessions with Thai partner institutions.
"Participants are expected to submit Re-Entry Action Plans (REAP) as part of their commitment to apply the knowledge gained within their respective barangays," it said.
The SK added that the training design was reviewed and approved by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the City of Manila, and that the activity was conducted with proper travel authorities and in compliance with budgeting and auditing rules.
"All participants obtained the necessary travel authorities in compliance with DILG Memorandum Circular Nos. 2019-83 and 2022-134, which govern the foreign travel of local officials," the federation said.
Online backlash
The clarification came after questions about the trip circulated online.
On September 7, a Reddit user described the Thailand activity as a “taxpayer-funded junket,” questioning its purpose since Bangkok “has no SK system” to benchmark.
Screenshots shared by commenters also showed participants in activities such as elephant rides, which some dismissed as “vacation with meetings.”
Some users also pointed to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s 2019 ban on foreign junkets for government officials, covering activities such as planning workshops and team-building events.
RELATED: ‘Junket?’: Manila youth leaders questioned over Thailand trip
Commitment to transparency
In its statement, the SK assured that the learning exchange will not end abroad.
"Concrete programs on HIV prevention and sexual health education will soon be rolled out in Manila, alongside ordinances and resolutions that build upon our previous council actions," the federation said.
"Clear public Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be established and regularly reported to ensure that these efforts deliver meaningful impact to our constituents," it added.
The federation also urged the public to verify information and avoid the spread of misinformation online.
"At a time when information spreads rapidly online, we gently remind everyone to pause and verify the content we read and share," the SK said.
"With misinformation becoming increasingly common, may we all work together to ensure that truth and understanding guide our conversations and actions," it added.
