The New SK Council

"They must really expect us to follow what they want." The girl spoke as she tied the back of her brown hair in a ponytail. "They're not afraid to be very conspicuous about what they are doing, thinking that we know nothing about how local government works and just follow their instructions. I'd say they're quite naive."

When it comes into fund-raising activities of the SK council, it is noted that the proceeds which shall be tax-exempt shall be accrued to the general fund of the SK Council. It is also noted that the money allocated can only be used to other progams and such after the specific purpose of which the activity is held to raise funds is satisfied.

Simply put, the money the SK have collected from one activity can be used for their future agendas once they have accomplished the cause of the activity they organized.

The Republic Act No. 10742, or otherwise known as SK Reform Act mandates that 10 percent of the general fund of barangays shall be set aside for the SK, which shall be appropriated in lump sum and distributed solely for youth development and empowerment purposes.The law further states that the SK shall have financial independence in its operations, disbursements and encashment of their fund, income and expenditures. That being said, the SK council has their own control over their funds. There is nothing that says that the allocated sum should go through the Barangay council fund nor the Barangay Captain first before the SK could use it.

And so after reading the sheet of paper that Lisa threw, a question between us, the new SK council rose up.

"What's the purpose of giving the allocated money from our own activity to the Barangay Captain before we could use it for the purpose of the said activity we created?" Said the guy with a laptop. "Though I guess it's pointless to ask that ourselves when we all know the answer."

That's right. It need not to be addressed. Because even the people our age knows how the government in the Philippines is full of corruption and greed. It is consistently being discussed through social media, news articles and such that even a 5th grader school kid could answer you about how messy our government is.

But setting the situation of the Philippine administration aside, a question from one of the members of the new SK council pops out.

"So what are we going to do?" The girl with a scary looking black eyes, a long twin-tailed black hair and a bandaid plastered on her upper cartilage asked Sano directly. "Just like what Lenlen said, the former SK council seem to think that we would comply to a collusion with the captain. As the new SK council, we have the responsibility to serve the people fairly and be a good example to the younger generations who will follow after our step in the future."

Me and the others looked straight at Louise Rosswell's eyes as she stood up from her seat. She then continue to speak.

"We should tell the entire Barangay council about this matter before she could continue her crimes any longer. That's what I think. But what about you, Sano?"

Suddenly being asked a question, my eyelids widened slightly.

"Even if I say that we should go and do it, you, as the SK chairman, have the final decision on what action we should take as the new SK council."

As I gaze directly at Louise, I see the same face she had back then.

Louise Rosswell has always been a righteous kind of girl ever since elementary. She once had an argument with one of our teachers back in 4th grade when the said teacher was discriminating one of our classmates for getting the lowest result in our first periodic exam. Most of us do not care about what was happening, the others were terrified to even look in front of the black board. However, seeing one of her classmate looking down with teary eyes and couldn't even speak as the teacher embarrassed the poor girl in front of the whole class, Louise stood up from her seat when no one else would and bravely defended the girl from our teacher. Angered, the teacher tried to hit Louise with a stick, only for her to dodge with great reflexes and land a punch on the teacher's nose.

After that, the teacher angrily insisted Louise to bring her parents to the school tomorrow morning to talk to them about her. The teacher tried to expell Louise out of school by changing the story of what happened when she confronted him. But in his surprise, the girl who he thought became afraid of him after raising his voice came to the faculty room along with her Mother to tell the truth. In the end, it was the teacher that got expelled for trying to lie and have Louise expelled.

Before I answered her question, I begin contemplating to myself.

Louise hasn't changed even the slightest bit since then. Even now, she's still the same girl who will bravely stand up against any unjust and wrongdoings, just like what she's doing right at this moment. The only difference is that, this matter about the Barangay captain is not something for her to stand against alone, instead, it is a matter that we shall resolve all together as the new SK council.

It is true that this matter about the Barangay captain and her alleged collusion with the former SK council is something for us to resolve. But personally, this thing doesn't concern me. It was never my intention to join the SK council to begin with. The only reason why I am in my position right now is due to my Father's request which I agreed on since I got nothing to do in the first place.

As much as possible, I don't want to make unnecessary efforts without any reason. But looking at it, even though it's not my own decision to run as an SK chairman, I still took the position which carries quite a responsibility. And I did so together with my friends who joined me even without me asking. I guess I ought to take that responsibility and act like a real SK chairman, huh. For Father and everyone.

Having my mind all set, I begin to answer Louise on my thoughts about the issue.

"Looking at that sheet of paper, the chances that the former SK council were working in a collusion with the Barangay captain isn't exactly low." I told Louise and everyone else in the room. They stare at me as I continue to speak. "However, we can't just point fingers on people about potential crime without concrete evidence that would prove our suspicion."

"Concrete evidence you say..."

"Yes."

Out of a sudden, we heard a "Yes" coming from one of the SK members who were standing beside the window.

"Accusing people about something based on a single paper isn't gonna cut it, especially that the person were suspecting is a Barangay official. You gotta have more than just that."

That's right. Accusing someone of illegal acts without evidence to support our suspicion would be a moronic move. Even if it's true that the Barangay captain is making a collusion with the former SK council, unless we have more than enough information to prove her guilty, nothing will go forward.

After that, Louise took a glance towards me, which then I nodded in response. Then she gave the man a reply.

"You have a point." Behind the mild tone in her voice, I can see the disappointed from the look in her eyes. But then her expression quickly changed as she asked me once more.

"Then Sano, what do you suggest we do while we can't prove that they're doing illegal action in secret?"

Again, I answered her question.

"While we have no way of figuring out if our allegations against the captain were true, I suggest we do what every SK council do for now."

"Agree."

"I'm not against that one."

Everyone agreed to my reply except Louise who seemed to have hesitated for a second before eventually agreeing along with the others.

"What do you say, Louise?"

"All right..."

As the discussion about the former SK council and the Barangay captain were settled, we're finally returning to what we're supposed to do on the first day of our term. And that is, assigning members as the SK secretary and SK treasurer.

"Let's go and backtrack on what we should do for our first day of our term. First of all, we are picking members to be our SK treasurer and SK secretary."

"Uh... About that..."

"Actually, we already picked them even before you came."

"Eh?" I was dumbfounded.

"The SK secretary will be Kyouka."

"And the SK treasurer will be Adrian."

"And the SK treasurer will be Lis- Hey, wait! Why's my name mentioned here?"

"Of course, you will be the SK treasurer so it's only natural."

"Wait, that's not how our voting went."

"Come now, it's not like you've got any important things to do anyway. Try to be more productive, you weaboo."

Before I knew it, the SK body have already decided on who will take the two empty spot. And here I thought I had the power of the final vote.

I let out a sigh as I watch Adrian and Lisa bickering over who will take the last empty spot.

*Knock Knock*

Until we heard someone knocking outside the door of the SK council room. As everyone's attention shifted onto the source of the sound, the door opened and then a middle-aged man entered our room.

"Mr. Rene."

"Sano, I see you're finally here."

Rene Agario, 40 years old, single, one of the Barangay council members who had been servicing the Barangay for about 6 years. Today is also the day he starts a new 3 year term after winning the campaign a month ago. He is a kind cousin of my Mother and a good friend of my Father. Me and my friends often have a chat with Mr. Rene whenever we meet him walking the streets every after school.

"I'm sure you've heard the news about the pandemic in our country this morning."

"..."

"Later, at 12:00PM, there will be a Barangay council meeting regarding the Corona Virus. You will be joining me and the others in that meeting."