Abstract

The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of Barangay 176, Caloocan City, is a vital youth representation platform mandated by Republic Act No. 10742 (2015) and modernized by Republic Act No. 11768 (2022). It runs initiatives like HIV awareness, educational assistance, sports leagues, and typhoon relief, but faces challenges including digital distractions, delayed budgets, limited financial autonomy, and scarce venues. While its legal and structural functions are documented, there is a research gap on the localized youth experiences and specific barriers to their participation. A quantitative approach was used, combining probability sampling for representativeness and purposive sampling to select 60 respondents from Barangay 176, Caloocan City: 10 SK officials, 25 NGO representatives, and 25 LGU members. A validated, pilot-tested closed-ended Likert scale questionnaire gathered data on program practicability, effectiveness, and sustainability. Following approval, questionnaires were administered and retrieved immediately after orienting respondents on the study’s purpose. data were analyzed using frequency distribution, weighted mean, descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis H-Test, and ranking. Among 60 respondents, 58% were aged 18–25, with balanced gender representation. Most had secondary education, and 33% had 10+ years of service. SK programs were rated “Very Effective” in practicability (3.37), effectiveness (3.38), and sustainability (3.32). No differences appeared between residents and SK officials, but significant gaps existed among SK, NGO, and LGU groups (p ≤ 0.00315). Key issues were youth engagement, limited official skills, and weak impact assessment. Project SILANG (PHP 1.8M) was proposed to strengthen digital literacy, resilience, leadership, mobile services, and sustainability. The study confirms that SK effectively promotes youth development, with programs rated “Very Effective.” While residents and SK officials agree in their assessments, gaps among SK, NGO, and LGU stakeholders point to weaknesses in planning, impact measurement, and technical capacity. Challenges such as low youth engagement and limited leadership skills persist. Project SILANG addresses these through practical training, decentralized services, and stronger partnerships. Overall, SK has a solid foundation but needs enhanced capacity and collaboration for sustainable impact.