Concern for OSYs
THE House of Representatives has passed on third and final reading a bill that reflects the concern over the welfare of out-of-school youths (OSYs).
Admittedly, many OSYs, boys and girls, stopped going to school owing to their parents’ inability to send them to college in Metropolitan Manila.
“Ang iba nga diyan ay hindi na makapag-high school dahil kailangan na nilang magtrabaho para makatulong sa mga magulang,” a farmer lamented.
Actually, House Bill (HB) No. 9347 seeks to recognize and promote the rights of these youngsters and empower them to contribute to “nation-building.”
Approved overwhelmingly by the solons, the proposed measure aims to give full support to the improvement of the total well-being of the so-called OSYs.
This it will do by providing the country’s OSYs learning and employment opportunities as well as the needed social services and interventions.
Likewise, HB No. 9347 spells out the rights and empowerments for OSYs, such as their human rights and equal treatment before the law.
Through concerned offices and agencies, the government ought to come up with programs that will protect OSYs against discrimination of any kind.
Thus, we cannot overemphasize the importance of speeding up the passage of the proposed piece of legislation.
Certainly, the Filipino people expect the national government to deliver on its avowed pro-poor and pro-youth agenda.
