COTABATO CITY (July 18, 2023) — Bangsamoro Government’s youth council passed on Tuesday, July 18, a resolution urging local chief executives across the region to appoint their local youth development officer.
During the fourth meeting of the Bangsamoro Youth Coordinating Council (BYCC) in Cotabato City, Resolution No. 1 was adopted requesting the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) to direct local chief executives of provinces, cities, and towns in the region to appoint local youth development officers.
The resolution adds that the appointment shall be in accordance with provisions prescribed under Republic Act No. 11768 or the Amended Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015.
A local youth development officer is responsible for conducting Mandatory Trainings for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, accrediting youth organizations, providing technical assistance to the Local Youth Development Council (LYDC), facilitating the election of the LYDC representatives, and leading the secretariat for the crafting of the Local Youth Development Plan (LYDP).
RA 11768 mandates the creation of a Youth Development Office headed by the youth development officer which may be put under the Office of the Local Chief Executive, the Office of the Planning and Development, the Office of the Social Welfare, or in any other office deemed appropriate by the local government unit.
The BARMM youth council, named BYCC, was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 02 series of 2021 signed by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim on May 3, 2021. The council, being chaired by the Chairperson of the Bangsamoro Youth Commission, has member ministries and offices in the BARMM. It serves as the venue for coordination between BYC and the ministries and other instrumentalities of the Bangsamoro Government in the implementation of youth-related programs, projects, and activities.
BYC Chairperson Marjanie Mimbantas Macasalong said BYCC reinforces Bangsamoro Government’s commitment to accountability and enables to fostering an environment that protects the rights of the Bangsamoro youth.
“Our Council serves as a dynamic platform for constructive dialogue and collaboration on youth-related policies and programs. It is within these vibrant discussions that innovative ideas are conceived, and strategies are developed to address the multifaceted challenges faced by our youth,” Chairperson Macasalong added.
The BYCC Council meeting was attended by officers and representatives from the MILG, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE), Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE), Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC), Bangsamoro Sports Commission (BSC), Bangsamoro Commission on the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH), Office for Settler Communities (OSC), and Bangsamoro Darul Ifta (BDI).
BYC Commissioners Mohammad Faisal Alih, Pratima Sabal-Samsaraji, and Nasserudin Dunding were also present in the meeting. (BYC PR Unit/RMM)
