Youth Welfare Code for Baguio proposed
The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance adopting a Youth Welfare and Empowerment code for the city.
Under the proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales, as part of the city’s commitment to youth empowerment and development, the youth sector must be provided with enabling mechanisms and support systems to create more opportunities to enhance and prioritize their general welfare.
Further, the city acknowledges the impact of a service-driven leadership and therefore must be provided with mechanisms to boost strategies in leading the youth in pursuit of greater involvement in public and civic activities.
The ordinance claimed that it is the mandate of the local government through all of its offices and partners, particularly the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) and the City Youth Development Office, to reach out to the youth and to encourage them to actively participate and be involved in the crafting of policies and monitoring of projects for youth empowerment.
The ordinance stated that the local government shall ensure that the youth will benefit from the different initiatives of various community partners that prioritizes opportunity expansion, skills and capacity enhancement, promotion of youth advocacies, and restructuring community norms receptive to the changing needs and priorities of the current times.
Moreover, every city youth shall enjoy the prescribed rights and observe the necessary obligations regardless of their age, gender orientation, socio-economic status, cultural or indigenous background, religion, political ideology and other relevant factors.
Among the rights of the youth include health, education, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, peace building and security, governance, active citizenship, environment and sports development.
On the other hand, the responsibilities of the youth, regardless of the circumstances of birth, sex, religion, social status, political antecedence and other factors shall strive to lead an upright and virtuous life regardless of their religious and political affiliation, the teachings of their elders and mentors, and the biddings of a clean conscience; love and respect their parents, and cooperate with them in the strengthening of their families; extend to their brothers and sisters their love, thoughtfulness, and helpfulness, and endeavor with them to keep the family harmonious and united; exert their utmost to develop their potentials to service; respect not only their elders but also the customs and traditions of the other people; obey and comply with subsisting laws; participate actively in civic affairs and in the promotion of the general welfare and help in the observance of individual human rights, the strengthening of freedom everywhere, the fostering of cooperation among barangays and youth organizations in the pursuit of their common aspirations.
The ordinance mandates the local government to allocate P3 million annually to ensure the successful implementation of the programs, projects and activities of the youth. The said fund shall be sourced from the City Youth Development office under the City Social Welfare and Development Office.- Dexter A. See
