DAVAO CTY (MindaNews / 9 Nov) – The National Youth Commission (NYC) is pushing for the institutionalization of the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017-2022 to synchronize the programs of the different government agencies for the youth.
Jenivie Anne Ramirez-Salmo, presidential staff officer V at the NYC, said in an interview that all government efforts need harmonization in order to maximize the results of the five-year development plan for the youth and to prevent duplication of efforts.
She said the PYDP serves “as the blueprint and guiding framework for national and local government agencies, as well as the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), and civil society organizations in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of youth development programs and policies.
The framework of PYDP 2017-2022 is composed of health, education, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, peace building and security, governance, active citizenship, environment and global mobility.
Salmo said the NYC created the Philippine Youth Development Index (PYDI) as a monitoring tool to measure the progress achieved in the implementation of the PYDP.
She said they are still waiting for the executive order of President Rodrigo R. Duterte requesting all agencies from the national level down to local to adopt the five-year plan.
Bernadette Fernando, NYC presidential staff officer, added PYDP plays a crucial role in the development of the youth to become future leaders because they will choose among themselves what programs they want to pursue that will help the youth.
Based on the PYDP, she said they would create the Comprehensive Barangay Youth Development Plan that will become the basis for the annual Barangay Youth Investment Plan.
Fernando said they are also ready to capacitate the new SK leaders whose plan must be anchored on the PYDP’s nine components. President Duterte signed on October 2 a law moving the barangay and SK elections from October 23, 2017 to May 14, 2018.
Fernando added the NYC has been conducting trainings to different Local Youth Development Offices that will assist the SK.
She said they saw the need to come up with programs for the youth as 29 percent of the country’s population, which is around 30 million, is composed of the youth who will soon become leaders.
Salmo said they are concentrating in provinces with high youth population.
“We need to invest in the youth because they are the future generation leaders of our society,” she said.
By 2022, Salmo said they envision to mold the youth to become healthy, educated, patriotic and active citizens; living in a peaceful, secure and socially inclusive society; able to engage in gainful economic activity; and able to access and use technology and services as partners in nation building.
She added they also hope to increase the youth’s proactive and constant engagement in programs and projects “conceptualized and implemented for, by and with them. It builds upon awareness, knowledge, attitude and intent.” (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)