FILIPINO CHILDREN AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN NATION-BUILDING LAW OF 1985.

WHEREAS, the children and youth of this country aged below
one year to twenty-four years constitute 62 percent of the entire
population;

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 is being exerted today to promote
his survival and development and enhance his opportunities for a useful and
happy life;

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
mortality, 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 actions 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:

SECTION 1. This Decree shall be known as the Filipino
Children and Youth Participation in Nation-building Law of 1985.

SEC. 2. December 7 to 11 of every year shall be called
“National Youth Participation in Nation-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.

SEC. 3. There is hereby created a youth Batasang Pambansa
which 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 elect its youth speaker and such other officials which it shall consider
necessary.

SEC. 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.”

SEC. 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
organizations 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.

SEC. 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 include 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.

SEC. 7. All laws or parts of any laws inconsistent with the
provisions of this decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. If any provision of this decree is held invalid, the
other provisions not affected thereby shall continue in operation.

SEC. 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.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA
		Presidential Executive Assistant