SK Manila Clarifies Leadership Training Program Held in Thailand
The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Manila has defended the leadership training program conducted in Thailand.
On Saturday (September 13, 2025), the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation of Manila addressed public criticism regarding their recent benchmarking activity conducted in Thailand. The group clarified that the trip was part of a scheduled leadership training designed to strengthen the skills of SK officials.
The program, which ran from September 6 to 24, 2025, was organized in partnership with St. Robert’s International College in Thailand. According to the federation, the main goal of the training was to help SK leaders develop strategies to address pressing youth-related issues, including the rising number of HIV cases in the country.
The federation explained that participation in the training was voluntary, but conducting capacity-building programs is a legal requirement under the SK Reform Act (RA 10742) as amended by RA 11768.
These programs must be included in every SK’s local development plans. They added that the choice of where and how to conduct such training depends on the design of the program, as long as travel requirements are met.
The federation also emphasized that the activity was fully funded through the official SK budget and had the approval of both the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Manila city government.
Despite the criticism, the group maintained that the training was a valuable investment in developing young leaders. They believe that giving SK officials the right skills and knowledge is crucial to addressing community concerns more effectively.
The federation encouraged the public to view the initiative not as a mere trip, but as an opportunity for youth leaders to gain experience and learn from international practices that can be applied to local programs.
In a previous report, Manila SK leaders criticized for Thailand trip: benchmarking o gala?