Pasado na sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa sa Kamara ang panukalang Magna Carta of the Out-of-School Youth (OSY) na naglalayong kilalanin at itaguyod ang karapatan ng mga OSY upang makatulong ang mga ito sa pagpapa-unlad ng bansa.
Kabuuang 246 na mambabatas ang bumoto pabor sa House Bill (HB) No. 9347.
“This bill aims to give full support to the improvement of the total well-being of the OSYs by providing learning and employment opportunities as well as the needed social services and interventions,” ani Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
“Through this bill, we also aim to recognize the important role of the private sector in improving the welfare of the OSYs and to seek their partnership actively,” sabi pa ng House Speaker.
Sa ilalim ng panukala isusulong ng estado sa pamamagitan ng National Youth Commission (NYC), Commission on Human Rights, at iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno ang paglikha ng mga programa upang maprotektahan ang mga OSY laban sa anumang uri ng diskriminasyon, at maisulong ang kanilang karapatan para sa kanilang pag-unlad.
Bibigyang suporta rin nito ang mga OSY sa larangan ng edukasyon, kalusugan, social services, at pagtatrabaho.
“The bill seeks to provide sufficient assistance to OSYs who are in challenging circumstances, such as those with disabilities, victims of sexual and physical abuse, illegal recruitment, prostitution, trafficking, armed conflict, OSY in conflict with the law, and in times of crisis, pandemic, and other public health emergencies,” sabi ni Speaker Romualdez.
Bubuo rin ng Advisory Council na nakasaad sa Section 14 ng Republic Act No. 8044 o ang “Youth in Nation-Building Act.”
Itatatag din ang isang National Comprehensive Multi-Stakeholder Plan of Action for the OSYs upang maitaguyod ang pag-aaral, mental, reproductive health, skills training, at livelihood assistance sa mga OSY. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
