Davao Pag-asa youth leader expects PNoy’s concrete program for OSY

Davao City (4 August) — The regional federation president of the Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) here expressed high expectations that President Noynoy Aquino has concrete programs for the youth sector, citing particularly the out-of-school youth.

Mayjee dela Cruz said in an interview he has full trust and confidence that the present administration would bring positive change for the nation, especially for the youth sector.

He said the youth “being the vulnerable sector” must be provided with appropriate and concrete services and programs “for our welfare and for us to be honed as future leaders of the nation.”

Dela Cruz was one of PYAP regional federation officers who took oath of office on Thursday last week during the annual PYAP regional congress held at SM City Davao.

Together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, some 200 PYAP youth leaders across the region celebrated the congress anchored on this year’s theme “PYAP: Maabilidad. Kaya ko! Kayo Mo! Kilos Tayo!”

According to DSWD focal person on youth Cynthia N. Umbaña, PYAP is a duly-constituted barangay-based organization of the OSY between 15-24 years old.

Umbaña informed that about 20,353 youth composed the regional, provincial and municipal PYAPs in the region.

Commissioner-at-Large and Assistant Secretary Steve Laurence Arquiza of the National Youth Commission officiated the induction of eight PYAP regional federation officers who were sworn into office pledging to perform to the best of their abilities and duties as elected officers of the federation for a one year term.

Arquiza, who hails from Davao, told the officers that their responsibilities and duties should not be taken lightly.

In his keynote message, Arquiza addressed the youth stressing on an aim for the youth to “reclaim their stakes in social peace, sustainable development and transparent governance.”

He elaborated that reclaiming these stakes “captures the revolutionary idea of Filipino youth re-positioning and re-instating ourselves in the discourse of peace, development and governance, where we are invariably marginalized, silenced, ignored, unrecognized, or disregarded.”

Arquiza recognized the increasing youth involvement and their “becoming a lot more critical about the challenges confronting their local communities.”

He noted that many have “demonstrated unmistakably clarity on current issues and expressed strong feelings about the way the Philippine government is approaching and handling these issues of war in Mindanao, widespread hunger, disquieting migration, glaring corruption, unsocialized education, crying employment, hateful and traditional politics, and abject poverty.”

To initiate and organize efforts towards a common vision for the country, Arquiza urged the Davao Region youth to “closely forge networks with other sectors such as the academe, labor, women, the Church, civic organizations and etc.”

Dela Cruz, who also represents the region to the National Anti-Poverty Commission, said that the present endeavor of PYAP is focused more on the literacy program for the OSY which he said included the persons-with-disability (PWDs) and the delinquent youth.

He stated that they have tapped private institutions such as Holcim Davao and NCCC Cares for the availment of scholarships for high school and college students.

Dela Cruz bared that DSWD also provides 250 daily stipend for 50 OSY beneficiaries who are currently assigned at their respective local government units to help in the organization of youth in their communities. (PIA-XI)