Castaneda, Juan Carlo A.

April 10, 2015

4POL1 Dr. Edwin Martin
Reflection Paper: Youth Policy Formulation Manual
Summary:

United Nations formulate a youth policy manual in line with the belief that the

creativity and passion of young men and women and recognizing the unique

perspective of the youth on their current and future needs are quickly becoming national

and international priorities. Thus, a youth policy formulation manual is created by the

United Nations. The youth sector represent sector in the worlds population, 18 percent

of the population of the world comprises the youth or an estimate number of 1 billion

and 60 percent of the youth population resides in the Asia-Pacific Region. In Chapter I

of the article the following topics were analyzed; the concept of a national youth policy,

the rationale for a national youth policy, and the benefits of a national youth policy.

Principle, foundation, guideline, manifestation of political will, blueprint, framework and

vision statement are the contents of the concept of national youth policy. A youth policy

should serve its purpose in which it should serve to empower, enable and inspire youth

and youth-serving organizations. The need of a national youth policy is based on the

rationale of it which indicates that youth represent a unique group within society; they

are advocates for change and hope within society but are particularly vulnerable to

societal pressures. They seek to be integrated, yet challenge the status quo. Also, the

idea of youth as a distinct group deserving participation in society has a rich

international and regional history that deserves to be recognized. Fostering a stronger

spirit of cooperation between young and old, creating common goals for youth, the

government, NGOs and the private sector, providing a way to plan for the future of
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youth and raising the profile of youth as an important group within society are the

benefits of creating a national youth policy.

In Chapter II of the manual, the groundwork needed for the youth policy

formulation process has been discussed, and provided in the chapter are some general

questions and case studies that serve as a model for the guidance of policy makers.

Establishing the creation of an appropriate policy development vehicle is necessary, the

need for an adequate financial and political support, it must be suitable for all the stages

of the youth policy formulation process and the participation of the youth in the policy

development is essential.

The content of a national youth policy is discussed in chapter III, it should have

the; foreword, rationale for the policy, definition of youth, youth profile, historical and

contemporary issues which impact on youth participation, reference to other policies

and documents, principles and values supporting the policy, goals and vision statement,

policy objectives, rights, responsibilities and obligations of young women and men, key

strategies, priority target groups, and implementation and coordination mechanisms.

The success to ensure that the national youth policy is effectively implemented is

based on the following strategies that should be considered as discussed in chapter IV.

The strategies are namely: Promoting a national youth policy, formulating an

accompanying national youth action plan, creating appropriate mechanisms for

implementation and coordination of a national youth policy. A strategy that is also

essential to be included is the reviewing and monitoring a national youth policy, to

ensure that the national youth policy is integrated into broader sphere of policy, allowing

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for greater recognition and the possibility of more widespread action, mainstreaming a

national youth policy is a needed strategy.

Several international government bodies like the United Nations are hoping that

nations would follow the steps in the manual regarding the national youth policy

formulation process that would encourage key actors in policy making to bring the youth

into the sphere of policy formulation and implementation. It can be understood that the

youth in the future are the ones that would be shaping the nation in the near future and

it is only suitable that nation-building should start to the young portion of the population

because it would be their future that they would be responsible to build upon.

Analysis:

Through the years it has been perceive by many that the potential of the youth is

vital in bringing the development for a country. In the Asia-Pacific region it has a high

percentage of youth in terms of population because 60 percent of the worlds youth

population resides in the Asia-Pacific region. United Nation recognizes the role of the

youth in contributing for the development of a nation, because of this vision of the

United Nation that they perceive to the youth they created a manual for nations in

creating national youth policies. Many countries especially in the continent of Asia

started to recognize the potential of the youth in formulating policies. In the Philippines,

National Youth Commission is created through the aim of representing the youth to be

in contribution to the countrys development. The functions of the commission as stated

by the law are to formulate and initiate the national policy or policies on youth, to plan,

implement, and oversee a national integrated youth promotion and development

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program, and establishment of a consultative mechanism for dialogue with the youth,

and link with government and non-government organizations both at the national and

international levels for the youths active participation in government and non-

government programs that will develop their full potential as partners in nation building.1

Philippines is relatively a young population, youth aged 15-24 years old

comprises of 16.1 million out of 76.5 million enumerated in the 2000 Census of the

Philippine population. (Leones, 2004) This is an opportunity for the Philippine

government to grasp on by involving the youth in the development planning for the

nation. Opportunity must be given to the youth in the fullest extent to address the issues

concerning the issues surrounding the youth sector. Youth should be given the chance

to be actors for change and not only be a target for development2. The establishment of

the National Youth Commission paved the way for opportunities for the youth in nation

building and addressing the issues concerning the youth. Establishing such institution

seems in line with the vision of the United Nations upon creating the manual of the

national youth policy but if the youth is to be asked in the present situation if the efforts

of the commission are felt by the majority of youth population it could be said that it is

lacking on some extent. There would be no question in the policy formulation of the

National Youth Commission since there is already a guide for them to follow in

formulating policies to address the issues of the youth as provided by the United

Nations but is the implementation of such policies they formulate is being taken to

action effectively seems to be the problem of the commission. Problems in education

1
Republic Act 8044: The Youth in Nation-Building Act (1995)
2
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. (2009). The Role of Young People in Poverty Reduction.
Retrieved April 8, 2015, from United Nations; http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/publications/TPTPublication.pdf

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are still resurfacing and poverty involving the youth is still a prevalent issue in the

present context of the country. In education there is still turmoil regarding the

implementation of K-12 program in the country. The congress sees that the country is

not fully prepared in the changes the program would bring to the education sector in the

country. Classrooms were still lacking in most number of public schools in the

Philippines and the verge of unemployment for some teachers and some workers that

would be hit by the additional two years in basic education. Pasig City Representative

Roman Romulo said that he might seek for the suspension if the Department of

Education failed to address the problems mentioned3. This is one of the problems the

commission must focus on their policy formulation and must seek effective

implementation. Concrete policies and plans is needed to fully address the needs of the

youth it should not be limited only in creating a commission, seminars, conventions and

policy making, concrete implementation is needed to represent the needs of the youth

especially the youth that belong in the poverty sector and those that do not have formal

education and still belong in the out-of-school youth sector.

Local Governments were given the chance to utilize the youth population through

the Local Government Code of 1991, as they seek for the youth to be avenues for

participation in the level of local government. Legislation and implementation of projects

and programs were the responsibilities given to the youth through the creation of

Sangguniang Kabataan that represented that youth in Barangays in the local level. In

the years, the Sangguniang Kabataan is marred by controversies in terms of its function

3
Arcangel, X. (2015, March 10). Solon Sees Problems in K-12 implementation might seek suspension. Retrieved
April 8,2015 from GMA News online: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/450081/news/nation/solon-sees-
problems-in-k-12-implementation-might-seek-suspension.

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and composition. Some Sangguniang Kabataan councils in some barangays in the local

level is composed of family relatives of the Barangay Chairman and Kagawad that serve

as a breeding ground for nepotism. The projects and programs of some Sangguniang

Kabataan in some local government were also put into question as some were only

limited to projects such as paliga or basketball leagues and pageants that seems not

fully affecting the situation of the youth. Several Congressmen were calling for the

abolishment of SK, but rather the Legislative body of the government called for the

postponement of the SK elections until 2016 to make way for the reforms the Congress

create for the betterment of the youth representation system. The reforms that the

congress proposed are namely: the adjustment of the age bracket of youth officials

provisions for fiscal autonomy for the youth council, a mandatory training program, the

enforcement of anti-dynasty provisions, and the creation of the Local Youth

Development Council (LYDC) composed of youth leaders from various sectors4.

There is a clear judgment that institutions in the Philippines must take into

consideration reviewing the efforts done to maximize the participation of the youth in

policy formulation and nation building. The actions taken by the National Youth

Commission and Sangguniang Kabataan is in line with what the United Nations

prescribe in their manual for national youth policy formulation but what lacks to these

institutions is the effects of the policies they formulate to ensure that there would be

youth empowerment prevalent in the country. Reformation must be done to avoid the

danger of cycle of traditional politics being practice by future lawmakers and statesman

that someday would have the chance to rule the country. Institutions in the Philippines

4
Bueza, M. (2015, February 2). Senate approves postponement of SK elections. Retrieved April 8, 2015, from
Rappler: http://www.rappler.com/nation/82694-senate-approves-postponement-sk-elections.

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must maximize the help and aid the country is receiving from such organizations such

as the United Nations that is willing to help the country in its development through the

utilization of the youth sector. Politicians and lawmakers must aid to the youth on steps

to be taken to achieve better decision making, but they must take into consideration that

they should limit themselves on guiding only the youth not to limit or dictate the decision

making of the youth sector because it would be their future that in question so they must

have the command in what to put into action.

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Bibliography
Arcangel, X. (2015, March 10). Solon Sees Problems in K-12 implementation might seek
suspension. Retrieved April 8,2015 from GMA News online:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/450081/news/nation/solon-sees-problems-
in-k-12-implementation-might-seek-suspension.

Bueza, M. (2015, February 2). Senate approves postponement of SK elections. Retrieved April 8,
2015, from Rappler: http://www.rappler.com/nation/82694-senate-approves-p
ostponement-sk-elections.

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (1999). Youth Policy and Formulation
Manual. New York: United Nations

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. (2009). The Role of Young People in
Poverty Reduction. Retrieved April 8, 2015, from United Nations;
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/publications/TPTPublication.pdf

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