THE Cagayan de Oro City Council has approved on Monday, January 22, an ordinance localizing Republic Act 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Law.
Ordinance 2018-8, otherwise known as the Oro Youth Code of Cagayan de Oro City creates the Oro Youth Development Office and the Sectoral Co-chairmanship, according to interim Oro Youth Development officer James Patrick Santos.
It also institutionalizes the Oro Youth Development Council, defines youth sectors, and mandate youth representation in the various city committees
"One key feature is that we have a co-chairperson of the Oro Youth Development Council because by nature or by law of the SK Reform Law, the local youth development council has, the automatic chairman is the SK federation president... Wala pa ngayon kasi wala pa tayong (We don't have a president now because we still don't have an) SK but for now, it is attorney Ernesto Neri and they are operating under an executive order," Santos said.
Santos said with the Oro Youth Code, a public and private partnership will be formed and once a chairman for the Oro Youth Development Council will be established, he or she will be the representative from the multi-sectors of the youth of the city when engaging in local governance.
According to the interim Oro Youth Development officer, the principal author of the Oro Youth Code, which was lobbied in 2014, was City Councilor Jay Roa Pascual, the chairperson of the Committee on Youth and Sports.
The Oro Youth Code, Santos said, hopes to ensure a responsive, inclusive and democratic platform for the various youth organizations in the city.
He added that the code also hopes to nurture a training ground for future public servants who value deliberative democracy, engage in grassroots empowerment, and advance policy reform and development.
"This is just a start. This is your platform that if you want to voice out your concerns, but this is your platform where you can actually take part not just in the activities but really in lobbying for policies that you want to advocate or programs and projects that you want to do for the greater benefit of the Oro youth," Santos said.