FORGING PATHS: TRAVERSING INTO THE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES OF THE SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN PRESIDENTS IN LA UNION, PHILIPPINES

Politics is fundamental to societal development for young people as they play an important role in shaping political landscapes. This mixed methods study traversed into the leadership qualities and leadership skills of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation Presidents in La Union, Philippines, and evaluated how these attributes affect their performance. A survey of 232 SK Chairpersons assessed eleven leadership qualities—vision, intelligence, charisma, responsibility/commitment, authenticity/integrity, drive/passion, courage, empathy, competence/experience, service orientation, and business orientation—and four leadership skills: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. All leadership qualities received top proficiency ratings, with vision, intelligence, responsibility/commitment, drive/passion, courage, empathy, competence/experience, and service orientation achieving exemplary levels, while charisma, authenticity/integrity, and business orientation got a slightly lower rating in some of their specific areas and the leadership skills uniformly rated as highly proficient. Semi structured interviews with 22 SK Chairpersons then explored how these attributes manifest in practice. Thematic analysis yielded five core themes: guiding the organization strategically, fostering connection and inclusivity, motivating and engaging the community, serving as role models to youth, and promoting innovation and problem-solving. Two subthemes also emerged: clear vision and direction, and shared vision. Slightly lower ratings in charisma, integrity/authenticity, and business orientation highlight areas for development. Based on these insights, the researchers propose a one-day leadership seminar focused on charismatic communication, “walking the talk” to reinforce integrity, and innovative economic leadership for business orientation. This study contributes to the discourse on youth development by giving valuable insights into enhancing training programs and supporting future leaders in the Philippines.