By Simeon C. Dilan
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Sept 6 (PNA) — The Students of Cagayan State University (CSU) in this City expressed support to Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. in his advocacy to empower the youth.
This developed as thousands of students attended a dialogue conducted by Marcos regarding youth and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) issues held on Friday (Sept. 5, 2014) at the school gymnasium here.
Marcos, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, is currently studying and formulating an SK reform bill.
“Ako ay umiikot at nakikipag-usap sa mga estudyante at youth at ipinaliliwanag ko ang ginagawa namin para maayos ang SK at maisulong ang youth empowerment,” he said.
Marcos said he is pushing for the institutionalization of youth empowerment because the young citizens are the future leaders of the country and they have to be prepared as early as now.
Part of the empowerment Marcos is pushing is the inclusion of youth organizations, like student councils, out of school youth and faith-based groups, working youth groups, young entrepreneurs, community-based associations, and ideology-based groups in the establishment, together with SK, of the youth development council at the provincial, city, and municipal levels.
“Ang mga organisasyon na kinikilala sa at tumutulong sa kabataan, dapat natin isama sila sa proseso ng youth empowerment by organizing the youth development council,” he said.
He also said that to ensure a continuing training of SK officials and youth leaders, he proposed a national fund, P50 million as initial, to be established and regularly included in the Annual General Appropriation Act.
Marcos also said that the current 15-18 age range of SK is being studied whether it is better to raise the age limit to 30 years old.
“Isa sa problema ng present age range, karamihan nasa eskwela kaya di nila mabigyan ng oras ang trabaho sa SK, Lahat ng youth busy rin. At hindi sila pwedeng pumirma ng dokumento kaya ang nangyayari ibinibigay sa kapitan para pirmahan. kung di nila gusto hindi pipirmahan kahit maganda ang hangarin ng SK,” Marcos said. (PNA)