The problem of out-of-school youth

The problem of juvenile delinquency, however, is not one that we should casually accept as something we could live with. Police reports about crimes such as theft, rape, and drug-related cases often involve offenders who are below 18 years of age, mostly school dropouts. Sen. Kiko Pangilinan authored the law that would give alternative punishments to youths in conflict with the law. The Philippine National Police (PNP), on the other hand, is implementing a project that will dminimize the base criminality by keeping the youth, especially the out-of-school youth (OSY), preoccupied and productive. This does not pertain to Congress but I find any effort to make our youths more productive one worthy of mention in this column.

The PNP project, entitled OYSTER, or Out of School Youth Servicing Towards Economic Recovery, also serves as a support mechanism for economic development by giving employment to the OSY. What we see in the streets is just one facet of the project. OYSTER offers a wide range of learning and employment opportunities for OSY ranging from gupit, manicure, atbp. (GMA) to market porters, meat processing, and ballroom dancing. It also offers training on computer literacy, skills improvement, rescue operations, junior firemen, values formation, psychosocial reorientation, anti-drug abuse, crime prevention seminars, and other training courses. As of August 6, 2009, the PNP program has benefited 10,782 OSY nationwide.–Efren L. Danao, Manila Times

efrendanao2003@yahoo.com