WHEREAS,
the children and youth of this country aged below one year to
twenty-four years constitute 62 percent of the entire population;chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the Philippines provides that the "State
recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall
promote their physical, intellectual and social well-being;"
WHEREAS, the child and youth welfare code, Presidential Decree 603 as
amended, declares that the "Child is one of the most important assets
of the nation" and that every effort if being exerted today to promote
his survival and development and enhance his opportunities for a useful
and happy life;chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
WHEREAS, the decade of the Filipino child covering the period of 1977
to 1987 has resulted in the overall improvement of the quality of life
of Filipino children and youth below 25 years through significant
changes in and the reduction of the effect of serious problems
affecting the young in morality, morbidity, malnutrition, illiteracy,
ignorance, ill-effects of poverty, disability, delinquency including
drug and child abuse, and disadvantage due to the under-development of
communities in which they live; and
WHEREAS, the 1985 is the United Nations International Year of Youth
(IYY) and that the Philippines has appropriately observed this year
with action and services that implement the theme of IYY of
"Participation, Development Peace".
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines,
by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby
decree as follows: chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Section 1. This Decree shall be known as the
Filipino Children and Youth Participation in Nation-building Law of
1985.
Section 2. December 7 to 11 of every year shall be
called "National Youth Participation in National-building" period and
shall be observed with the annual election of a youth mayor and local
city or municipal officials in every city and municipality and with the
annual election of a youth governor and provincial officials in every
province, together with the launching of projects which maximize
participation of youth in governmental affairs and focus on the
survival and total development of children and youth. Youth elected to
the positions provided in this section shall be between the ages of 15
to 20.
Section 3. There is hereby created a youth Batasang
Pambansa which will shall be composed of not more than 200 youth
representatives. Each youth Batasang Pambansa representative shall be
appointed by the incumbent member of the Batasang Pambansa and shall be
a youth between the ages 20-24.
The first youth Batasang Pambansa shall convene on December 7, 1987 and
shall hold sessions until December 11, 1987 to consider recommendations
on the survival, welfare, and total development of children and youth
from below one year to twenty-four years. Thereafter, the Youth
Batasang Pambansa shall convene every year on December 7 to December 11
to consider recommendations for legislation and/or executive policy or
program. The Youth Batasang Pambansa shall effect its youth speaker and
such other officials which it shall consider necessary.
Section 4. Every child-caring and/or youth-serving
organization shall elect or otherwise appoint a youth president or
chairman of the board who shall be a member of the governing board of
such child-caring and/or youth-serving organization with the right to
vote and to fully participate in the decision-making of the governing
board. The youth president or chairman of the board shall be between
the ages of 15 to 24 and shall be elected annually during the period
for "National Youth Participation in Nation-building." chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Section 5. The youth mayors and local officials, the
youth governor and provincial officials, the youth batasang pambansa,
and the youth presidents or chairmen of the board of child-caring
and/or youth-serving organization shall convene as a deliberate and
recommendatory body during the observance of the fourth president 's
national conference on the development of children and youth in 1990
and every five years thereafter to present recommendations to the
President of the Philippines on the survival, welfare, and total
development of children and youth between the ages of below one year to
twenty-four years. chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Section 6. The council for the welfare of children
created under the Child and Youth Welfare Code, Presidential Decree No.
603, as amended, is hereby designated as the implementing body for this
decree. For the purpose of fully implementing the provisions of P.D.
603 as amended, Article 205 thereof is hereby amended to includes as ex
officio members of the council for the welfare of children the
following officials: the Minister of Human Settlements, the Minister of
Local Government, the Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa, and the
Executive Director of the Council. The youth speaker of the Youth
Batasang Pambansa shall be invited to council meeting when the Youth
Batasang Pambansa is in session. The Executive Director shall head the
Secretariat for the projects under this Decree and shall have the rank,
privilege, and emoluments of a career executive service officer 1.
Section 7. All laws or parts of any inconsistent
with the provisions of this decree are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.
Section 8. If any provision of this decree is held
invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue in
operation.
Section 9. This decree shall take effect upon
approval.
APPROVED this 16th day of
December 1985, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
eighty-five, in Malacañang.
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