The city council has approved Ordinance 53 s. 2023 or the “Baguio City Youth Code of 2023”, which aims to maximize the participation of the youth in nation-building.
The Youth Code also informs civil society and non-government organizations, international and national donors, the church, media and the business community of the rewarding social, economic and ethical opportunities of fully engaging the youth in community development.
The ordinance declares that as part of the city’s commitment to youth empowerment and development, the youth sector must be provided with enabling mechanisms and support systems to create more opportunities to enhance and prioritize their welfare.
The ordinance further states that the potential of the youth can be limitless. They only need support and access to platforms and opportunities for them to develop their capabilities for the benefit of the community.
“Baguio City as a diversity hub, values the ability of the youth as the new leaders of today and future shapers for the city’s interests. The city acknowledges the youth’s sense of responsibility and initiatives that pave the way for a generation with strong moral and emotional foundations. Therefore, the city government of Baguio shall ensure that the programs and policies geared towards the comprehensive and holistic development of the youth sector will be given utmost priority,” reads the ordinance.
Youth refers to those persons whose ages range from 15 to 30 years old as defined in Republic Act 8044.
For the purpose of targeted programming for the youth, the age disaggregation shall be: 15 to 17 years old – child youth; 18 to 24 years old – core youth; and 25 to 30 years old – adult youth.
The ordinance defines youth groups as:
Indigenous youth those who belong to indigenous cultural communities;
In-school youth – of school age and presently enrolled in any educational and vocational institution;
LGBT youth – those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or other diverse gender identity;
Youth with disabilities – registered and identified as persons with disabilities by the Persons with Disability Affairs Office.
Out-of-school – aged 15 to 24 years old, are unemployed, underemployed, or lacking basic skills; and
Working youth – either employed, self-employed, underemployed or who belongs to job-seeking youth groups (such as graduates of tertiary or vocational schools, or those who previously were employed and are actively looking for work) both in the formal and informal sectors of the society.
Youth development refers to the adequate, effective, responsive and enabling mechanisms and support systems that will ensure the meaningful participation of the youth in local governance and nation-building.
The Youth Code provides the city government shall ensure the youth will benefit from the initiatives of various community partners that prioritizes opportunity expansion, skills and capacity enhancement, promotion of youth advocacies, and restructuring community norms receptive of the changing needs and priorities of the current times.
Every youth in Baguio shall enjoy the following rights regardless of their age, gender orientation, socio-economic status, cultural or indigenous background, religion, political ideology and other relevant factors: health, education, economic empowerment, social inclusion and equity, peace-building and security, governance, active citizenship, environment, and sports development.
Their responsibilities, on the other hand, are strive to lead an upright and virtuous life regardless of their religious and political affiliation, uphold the teachings of their elders and mentors; love and respect their parents, and cooperate with them in the strengthening of the family; extend to their brothers and sisters their love, thoughtfulness, and helpfulness, and endeavor with them to keep the family united, develop their potentialities for service by undergoing any medium of education recognized by the government, suited to their abilities, so they may become an asset to themselves, their families, organizations, and to the City of Baguio.
Respect not just their elders but also the customs and traditions of other people, the memory of their ancestors, duly constituted authorities, the laws of our country, and the principles and institutions of democracy; obey and comply with subsisting laws, legal orders, and ordinances.
Participate actively in civic affairs and in the promotion of the general welfare, always bearing in mind that it is the youth who will eventually be called upon to discharge the responsibility of leadership in shaping the nation’s future; and help in the observance of individual human rights, the strengthening of freedom everywhere, the fostering of cooperation among barangays and youth organizations in the pursuit of their common aspirations for programs and posterity, and the furtherance of genuine solidarity.
May 4, 2024
