Former National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman Cesar Chavez is proposing a sweeping institutional reform that would transform the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) into a nationwide Youth Environmental Corps (YEC), offering it as an alternative to calls to abolish the youth body.

“Ecological security is the highest form of security,” Chavez said, pointing out that converting the SK would redirect youth governance toward protecting the very foundation of national survival.

Chavez, who holds a master’s degree in National Security Administration and a PhD in Peace and Security Administration, first pushed the idea through House Bill 12763 in 1994, which sought to establish a Youth Environmental Corps in every barangay. He served as Youth Sector Representative during the 9th Congress (1992–1995). As National Youth Commission chair, he initiated Executive Order 52, mandating environmental committees in all SK councils and allocating 10 percent of SK funds for environmental programs.

He said the proposed YEC would mobilize youth participation in environmental protection and community resilience, build green skills in food systems, strengthen climate resilience at the local level, and promote public health and active lifestyles.

Instead of abolishing the SK, Chavez said the reform would repurpose its existing governance structure and funding mechanisms toward environmental action and long-term sustainability.

The YEC would operate under eight pillars, including strengthening youth participation in governance, preparing young Filipinos for the green economy, and enhancing community climate resilience through initiatives such as mangrove restoration, urban greening, and disaster preparedness.

Chavez said the transformation would bridge education and action, promote health and active lifestyles, support sustainable local economies, and help build a pipeline of future leaders in sustainability.

He emphasized that the reform would ensure long-term public value and accountability by redirecting funds to lasting community assets and clearly defining the Corps’ mandate, improving transparency, monitoring, and institutional credibility.

“By redirecting youth governance toward environmental action, the Philippines can preserve youth participation in governance while generating long-term benefits for the economy, sustainable development, and peace and security of the nation,” Chavez said.

Under the proposal, the SK’s estimated P23.1-billion budget for 2026 would be redirected to environmental programs such as community gardens, recycling systems, tree nurseries, disaster preparedness and climate resilience projects.

“For this reason, it should be transformed into a Youth Environmental Corps, redirecting its mandate toward concrete, measurable actions that secure the Philippines’ long-term survival and sustainability for future generations,” Chavez said.

The proposal comes as Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla recently floated the possibility of abolishing the SK, citing low attendance rates among officials, with participation dropping from around 60 percent in the first year to as low as 30 percent in succeeding years.

Chavez lamented that many SK projects were not aligned with national priorities such as climate resilience and sustainable development. He also noted lingering public perception issues, with some communities viewing SK funds as underutilized, poorly managed, or vulnerable to corruption.

He pointed to structural weaknesses in the current system, saying many SK activities were “often short-term or events-based, such as sports leagues, beauty pageants, and celebrations, with limited long-term developmental impact.”

Chavez said the reform would keep the SK intact but its structure and funds would be repurposed while its accountability would be strengthened.

He said the SK “must prioritize the safeguarding of the country’s ecological balance” through concrete, measurable programs.

“Transforming the SK into the YEC operationalizes that idea by turning young people into active defenders of ecological security — not just as future leaders but present-day guardians of the environment,” he said.

“By clearly defining the Youth Environmental Corps’ mandate around environmental programs, communities, barangays, local governments, and oversight bodies such as the Commission on Audit will have clear expectations of its functions — thereby improving its transparency, monitoring, and overall accountability.”