Sangguniang Kabataan intervention programs in disaster contexts: Evidence from selected barangays in Baguio City

Abstract

Disasters pose complex governance challenges, particularly at the barangay level where public services are most immediate; yet youth participation in local disaster governance remains insufficiently institutionalized and empirically examined. This study analyzes the intervention programs implemented by the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in selected barangays in Baguio City during the COVID-19 Enhanced Community Quarantine, focusing on how youth participation responds to disaster governance challenges. Anchored in Community Youth Development and Empowerment Theory, the study employed a qualitative descriptive design using semi-structured interviews with 19 SK officials representing 19 selected barangays. The findings reveal that SK officials consistently faced resource, institutional, coordination, and operational constraints that limited their participation and program implementation. Despite these constraints, they implemented a range of interventions—including relief and social protection initiatives, public health support, governance assistance, and youth engagement activities—demonstrating adaptability and responsiveness to community needs. The Mental Health Support Program emerged as a best practice due to its responsiveness, innovation, and replicability. The study underscores the need to institutionalize youth participation, strengthen capacity development, and enhance coordination mechanisms in disaster governance. These findings imply that local governments and disaster governance bodies should formally integrate SK participation into disaster planning and implementation, provide sustained capacity-building and resources, and establish clear coordination protocols to enable youth to contribute effectively to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery