- Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas has filed House Bill 3415, the Magna Carta of the Youth, to give out-of-school youth equal access to education, vocational training, jobs, health care, and social services.
- The bill proposes an Out-of-School Youth Welfare Council to coordinate government efforts, safeguard OSY rights, and ensure inclusive, non-discriminatory opportunities.
- Filed during 'Linggo ng Kabataan' and ahead of International Youth Day, Vargas calls the measure a step toward equality and active nation-building for marginalized youth.
Quezon City Fifth District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas is seeking the approval of House Bill 3415, or the Magna Carta of the Youth Bill, a bill that seeks to provide out-of-school youth (OSYs) with greater access to education, vocational training, employment, health care, and other services. Vargas emphasized that OSYs should be given attention as a valuable sector in nation-building, noting that existing policies tend to center almost solely on students attending formal education, depriving this marginalized sector of due support.
Through the institutionalization of certain rights and programs for OSYs, he aims to put them on par with their in-school peers so that they can also meaningfully contribute to society.
The new bill requires the establishment of government programs that would mainstream OSYs, providing them with opportunities to develop skills, find productive employment, and engage in active citizenry. Among its provisions is the creation of an Out-of-School Youth Welfare Council, a coordinating council that will consolidate the efforts of different government agencies to harmonize responses to OSY concerns at the national level.
The action also focuses on the safeguarding of their rights, including protecting them from violence, discrimination, and social exclusion, and securing access to inclusive and non-discriminatory education opportunities.
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Vargas underscored that this project is not merely about expanding services, but transforming the mindset of society in how it sees and cares for young people who are excluded from the formal school system. "OSYs are one of the marginalized sectors in our society. Very often, our policies focus on the youth in school. So the enactment of HB 3415 is a step to equalize them with us in society", he added, saying that the passage of the bill would be a step toward inclusion and equality.
The appeal for action is coming at a symbolic moment, as the Philippines celebrates 'Linggo ng Kabataan' from August 12 to 17, leading up to International Youth Day on August 12. Vargas noted that these festivities need not only be occasions of celebration but occasions to reaffirm commitments to youth empowerment, especially to those who are left behind. "As we celebrate the youth this week, we have a duty to make sure no one is left behind particularly those who have been excluded from school. This is not a party, it is a call to action", he continued.
