How Cagayan de Oro empowers youth in local governance

Angelo Lorenzo

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How Cagayan de Oro empowers youth in local governance
The Oro Youth Code details its unique and salient features which include 'the creation of the Oro Youth Development Office and the institutionalization of its council'

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – In local governance, what can the youth bring to the table?

Cagayan de Oro City will soon find out following the approval of the Oro Youth Code by the Cagayan de Oro City Council last January, which will enable individuals aged 15 to 30 to take part in leadership for inclusive development in their city and bring out issues in their communities. 

Taking inspiration from the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015, the Oro Youth Code (OYC) details its unique and salient features which include “the creation of the Oro Youth Development Office and the institutionalization of its council” as stated in the approved ordinance.

Although the SK Reform Act has provided the guidelines, OYC, which was authored by CDO-based youth leader Atty. Ernesto Neri, covers a more localized scope that addresses the issues and problems commonly encountered and often overlooked by the youth and the rest of the CDO populace.

Two entities, one vision

“The youth should realize that governance is not limited to elected officials,” Oro Youth Development Officer James Patrick Santos said in an interview.

Santos, 25, currently heads the future plans of the Oro Youth Development Office which will officially commence in June this year as an official part of the city government.

A volunteer staff of the Teach for the Philippines (TFP) organization, he was appointed for the position by Neri in September 2017, with the approval of Mayor Oscar Moreno. 

The office will handle the registration of youth organizations – both public and private – aiming to converge for collaborative initiatives. “The forms and the guidelines are ready and [these] will be launched online,” Santos said.

This comes after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in February 2017 released a memorandum that mandated the creation of Local Youth Development Offices (LYDO) at the provincial, city, and municipal levels.

With the upcoming SK elections in May, the office is also preparing to train elected youth officials in the city’s barangays for effective leadership and ethical governance. This responsibility was based on the same mandate by the DILG which was designed by the National Youth Commission.

The Oro Youth Development Office is one of the two entities that further deepen the thrusts of the OYC.

The Oro Youth Development Council (OYDC), on the other hand, comprises of representatives from organizations from 6 sectors: in-school, out-of-school, cultural identity, faith-based, community-based, and special advocacy youth groups.

While the office trains youth leaders, the council gathers them to plan for solutions that address problems concerning the youth and their communities. With regular meetings attended by sectoral representatives, projects and programs will be proposed for implementation to address specific issues per sector. 

In addition, a special advocacy sector involves youth organizations in issues such as the environment, LGBTQ rights, and human trafficking, among the many defined in the OYC.

Growing legacy

Even before the OYC was approved, members of the OYDC who have lobbied for the Code have already accomplished a number of goals.

Last November, OYDC recognized police stations around the city that have delivered commendable service in protecting children from crimes and providing a comfortable atmosphere for rescued minors.

The following month, OYDC has organized a one-day educational program about human and civil rights, juvenile justice, and rights under custodial investigation for an audience composed mainly of junior and senior high students, out-of-school youth, and college council leaders. 

Empowering the youth to lead enables more opportunities for citizen engagement and sharing of ideas. The OYDC members hope to spread this concept in other communities across the country.

“You can’t just complain,” Santos said, challenging the youth who usually get discouraged by the inefficiency of local governance due to bureaucracy and corruption.

“You have a duty as a citizen,” he added. “As Jose Rizal put it, ‘the youth is the hope for the future,’ I think it’s best to start now.” – Rappler.com 

Angelo Lorenzo is one of Rappler’s Lead Movers in CDO. A Development Journalism graduate from Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, he now works in the city’s local government unit.

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