Assessing Core, Technical, and Leadership Competencies of Sangguniang Kabataan Officials in Negros Occidental: Key Determinants and Implications for Youth Governance

This study investigates the core, technical, and leadership competencies of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, who play a critical role in local youth governance. It aims to assess the competency levels of SK officials from eighteen barangays in a component city. The study utilized a descriptive and correlational research design, with participants including SK Chairmen, SK Kagawad, SK Secretaries, SK Treasurers, and barangay officials. The sample size was calculated using Yamane’s formula, and respondents were chosen through simple random sampling using online lottery software. The Mean was used to assess core, technical, and leadership competencies, while multiple linear regression analyzed the influence of age, sex, education, and training attendance on these competencies. The result on the core, technical, and leadership competencies of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials reveals a different perspective between self-assessments and evaluations by barangay officials. SK officials consistently rated their competencies higher, with overall "very good" ratings, but barangay officials rated them slightly lower, indicating a gap in perception. Communication was highlighted as the highest-rated core competency, yet barangay officials pointed out shortcomings in sustaining objectives due to communication inefficiencies. Financial management, although self-rated highly by SK officials, received lower ratings from barangay officials, suggesting the need for targeted training in this area. Moreover, regression analysis showed no significant relationships between demographic factors and competencies, except for the number of trainings attended, which significantly predicted both technical and leadership competencies. This emphasizes the importance of continuous professional development and structured training programs to enhance the effectiveness of SK officials in governance and project execution.