THE HOUSE of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposed Magna Carta of the Out-of-School Youth seeking to recognize and promote the rights of OSYs and empower them to contribute to nation-building.

With 246 affirmative votes, House Bill No. 9347 was approved by the lawmakers.

The bill aims to give full support to the improvement of the total well-being of OSYs by providing them learning and employment opportunities as well as the needed social services and interventions.

The measure mandates the National Youth Commission, Commission on Human Rights and other concerned youth-serving agencies, shall institute programs that will protect OSYs against discrimination of any kind, and promote substantive equality on the rights in all aspects of growth and development.

HB 9347 also spells out the rights and empowerments for OSYs such as human rights, equal treatment before the law, representation of OSYs in media, film and other platforms, recognition and preservation of the cultural identity and integrity of the Moro and indigenous OSYs to practice, promote, protect and preserve their own culture, traditions and institutions, and decent work standards for the OSYs who have graduated from technical and vocational education and training courses.

The proposed law provides government assistance and support to OSYs in education, health, social services and employment, particularly programs to ensure free access of OSYs to formal, informal and non-formal learning opportunities.

These opportunities include technical or vocational education, alternative learning system, promotion to tertiary education, entrepreneurial education and other programs that seek to reduce poverty and vulnerability to risks faced by OSYs