AN ordinance creating and organizing the Youth Development Alliance of Tagbilaran City was passed and approved by the City Council, recently. City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio “Toto” S. Veloso led the city legislators during the regular session of the Fourteenth Sangguniang Panlungsod last March 4, 2022 at the SP Sandugo Session Hall, in support of the measure.
The ordinance endeavors to provide education, employment, livelihood support, workforce readiness and even entrepreneurial pathways to Out-of-school youths (OSYs) of Tagbilaran City. This can be done more effectively through effective collaboration with the various sectors in society.
The Council aims to include OSYs in community-building activities, employment opportunities, livelihood projects, humanitarian programs, leadership enhancement, talent and skills development, environmental protection actions and second hand education. This can be done with iron clad alliances among different stakeholders and sectors in society, that will collaborate, network and share resources in order to strengthen the environment for positive out-of-school youth development in order to develop them into productive, skilled and civilly engaged members of society.
Ms. Marietta Gasatan of the City People’s Council emphasized the need to help OSYs in becoming good employees of different companies, and there are already companies who are willing to employ the OSYs. She also stressed that her heart has always been in helping her beloved Bohol by providing pathways to OSYs to have their own business in the future.
City Youth Development Officers Frence Boiser and Marbert Remolador also appeared before the City Council, and echoed the sentiments of Ms. Gasatan. They want to make sure that OSYs within the city will be reduced, and this will also be made possible because of the backing of the USAID program until 2025.
The undertaking has become a significant milestone for Tagbilaran City, being the first city in the whole country to come up with this kind of ordinance benefiting OSYs.
The members of YDATC include the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD), Barangay Affairs and Constituency Unit (BACU), City Livelihood Development Office, City Public and Employment Services Office (PESO), City Department of Education (DepEd), Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), University of Bohol (UB), Bohol Integrated Development Foundation (BIDF), Agricultural Training Institute, Department of Labor and Employment- Bohol, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Bohol. YouthLead Philippines, Bohol Association of Hotel, Restaurants and Resorts (BAHRR), City Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), City Agriculture and Veterinary Office (CAVO), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the OSYs through a representative.
The Ordinance is sponsored by Hon. Jose Floro B. Ringca, Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Sports. (Jeanette Busano)
