National Youth Commission employees demand a competent leader

MANILA, Philippines – The National Youth Commission Employees Association (NYCEA) broke its silence Tuesday, June 2, when it voiced its concerns on the leadership of NYC chief executive Ryan Enriquez. 

In a statement addressed to the youth,  the employees association said that the agency faced a challenging time with Enriquez as chairperson. 

According to the Youth in Nation-Building Act (Republic Act 8044), the commission shall be composed of a chairman and 5 commissioners making up the NYC. This also means that Commission is a collegial body. 

Instead of coordinating with the other commissioners to vote on an issue within the agency, the employees association said that Enriquez would decide by himself.

“Ibig sabihin, lahat ng desisyon sa loob ng ahensiya ay kailangang dumaan at napagbotohan sa Commission Proper. Lumalabas kasi ngayon na hindi na nasusunod ang prosesong ito at nagdedesisyon na lamang si Chairperson Enriquez nang sarili niya kaya naman nagkaroon ng kaguluhan sa mga proseso sa loob ng ahensiya at nalagay sa alanganin ang mga operasyon ng Commission,” the statement reads. 

(This means that all decisions inside the agency must go through a process and must be voted for by the commission proper. It turns out now that this process is not followed and Chairperson Enriquez makes his own decision resulting in conflict within the agency and puts the operation of the Commission at risk.)

Aside from this, NYCEA has also cited several instances of the chief executive’s abuse and usurpation of authority, violation of security of tenure, and harassment. This urged the association to appeal for President Rodrigo to take action in a letter sent to his office on May 21. (READ: [OPINION] We are young and we choose to fight back) 

These violations made by Enriquez were affirmed in a signed statement by the other members of the NYC proper including Commissioners-at-large James Ceasar Ventura and Paul Anthony Pangilinan, Commissioner representing Luzon Laurence Anthony Diestro and Commissioner representing Visayas Victor del Rosario.

The commissioners also expressed their support to NYCEA. 

“The members of the Commission Proper of NYC manifest our unwavering support to NYCEA in its demand for a competent leadership in the agency. Just like them, we want an agency that keeps up to its mandate of truly serving the Filipino youth. In this period of pandemic, we must not be slowed down by unnecessary tension between and amongst our officials and employees,” the statement read. 

The decision of NYCEA to share the appeal to the President online came after the majority of the employees voted in favor of its release. 

“Naniniwala rin kami na karapatan ninyo itong malaman bilang aming pinaglilingkuran at sektor na dapat na ipinaglalaban (We also believe that it is your right to know since we are serving the youth and this sector is what we should fight for),” NYCEA continued in its statement. 

Although NYCEA is saddened by the turn of events, it clarified that the employees only wanted that respect be shown in following the process of operations within the agency as stated by the law. 

It continued to believe that President Duterte would hear their plea.

“Naniniwala kasi kami na papakinggan kami ni PRRD, lalo’t buong puso kaming sumusuporta sa kaniyang kampanya para sa good governance at laban sa korapsyon (We believe that the President will hear us especially that we support his campaign for good governance and fight against corruption),” NYCEA added. 

President Duterte appointed Enriquez, who was a former provincial board member of Cavite in July 2019. – Rappler.com