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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Brian Poe rallies House colleagues to pass Magna Carta for Out-of-School Youth

Brian Poe rallies House colleagues to pass Magna Carta for Out-of-School Youth

Published Aug 13, 2025 07:28 pm

At A Glance

  • Assistant Majority Leader FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe has amplified calls in the 20th Congress to pass a measure that would unequivocally benefit so-called "out-of-school youths (OSY)".
FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe (Rep. Poe's office)
FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe (Rep. Poe's office)


Assistant Majority Leader FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe has amplified calls in the 20th Congress to pass a measure that would unequivocally benefit so-called "out-of-school youths (OSY)".
In a privilege speech during plenary session Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 13, Poe announced his filing of the proposed Magna Carta for Out-of-School Youth.
The "House Hotshots" member said the measure was “crafted with nearly two decades of legislative effort, shaped by the voices of OSYs themselves, and designed to secure their rights, protect them from discrimination, and open pathways to education, decent work, health services, and entrepreneurship".
Poe gave his remarks a day after the commemoration of the 25th International Youth Day. "As we have observed the passage of the 25th International Youth Day, let our commitment be more than words—let it be action,” he declared.
“Today, with the filing of the Magna Carta for Out-of-School Youth, we have taken a concrete step forward toward a Philippines where no young person is left behind," Poe, a neophyte lawmaker, said.
Earlier filling a similar magna carta measure was Deputy Majority Leader Quezon City 5th district Rep. PM Vargas.
The latest Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) census found that 11 million Filipinos aged five to 24 are out of school.
Reportedly, the pandemic accelerated the trend, with OSY rates jumping from 16.9 percent in January 2020 to a whopping 25.2 percent by April that year.
“This is evidence that our system is highly vulnerable to external shocks,” Poe said.
Poe warned that sheer government spending sans reform will not be enough to reverse the decline in youth outcomes.
Incidentally, the House of Representatives is set to begin deliberations on the proposed P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 this coming Monday, Aug. 18. The NEP is the precursor to the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), or proposed national budget.
According to Poe, only 22 percent of children aged three to four are enrolled in early childhood education. By Grade 5, just 10 percent meet minimum reading proficiency and 17 percent in mathematics.
The PSA found that 65 percent of 15-year-olds reported to experiencing bullying at least a few times each month. Youth labor force participation has dropped to 33.1 percent, with about 615,000 young people underemployed.
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