PROMOTING A YOUTH NATIONAL SERVICE

WHEREAS, on the part of
government, we must live within our means and run a lean, efficient
government. This includes continued fiscal prudence and efforts to work
towards a balanced budget. All the while, we must also simultaneously
invest in key programs for our people: economy, environment,
education;

WHEREAS, On the part
of the people, now is the time for pulling together and focusing on
family and the community. We must initiate a new era of volunteerism
and community spirit. This should include the government, religious and
civic groups and non-governmental organizations harnessing our people
to engage in coordinated volunteer activities. We should focus on
initiatives such as cleaning up our environment, building parks and
planting trees and bringing comfort to the poor through food banks and
bringing the dignity of literacy to adults who cannot
read;

WHEREAS, During these
trying times, the Philippine spirit, and commitment to caring should
prompt each of us to count our blessings and give back to those who are
less fortunate. Our nation needs us all pulling in the same direction.
Volunteering time, skill and resources is a noble undertaking we should
all take seriously;

NOW THEREFORE I, GLORIA
M. ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by the powers vested
in me by law, do hereby order;

Section 1. A youth
national service targeting 18 to 24 year-olds is hereby promoted. This
national service shall be composed of a National Service Corps and a
Youth Conservation Corps.

Section 2. The National
Service Corps shall be like a domestic “Peace Corps.” It shall be
geared to the unemployed or underemployed skilled youth or college
graduates. It shall focus on their contributions to education and
community service programs. Such youth shall be recruited to undertake
a two-year national service commitment with a modest
stipend.

Section 3. The Youth Conservation Corps
(YCC) shall be composed of the unskilled or less-educated youth. They
shall focus on environmental and infrastructure projects. Such youth
shall be recruited to likewise undertake a two-year national service
commitment with a modest stipend. The current program known as Out of
School Youth Serving Towards Economic Resiliency (OYSTER) shall be
subsumed into the YCC.

Section 4. The funding for
the national service shall initially come from the savings of all the
national agencies, including government owned and controlled
corporations, of one and a half percent (1.5%) of their maintenance,
operating and overhead expenses and from the Road User’s Tax.
Thereafter, it shall be supplemented by specific provisions in the
annual national budget submitted to
Congress.

Section 5. The national service shall be.
coordinated by the National Youth Commission. The National Service
Corps shall be implemented by the Department of Education and the
Department of Social Welfare and Development. The YCC shall be
implemented by the Philippine National Police with the support and
assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and
the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Section
6. This Order shall take effect
immediately.

DONE in the City of
Manila on the 30^th day of March in the Year of
Our Lord Two Thousand and Nine.

By the
President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R.
ERMITA
Executive
Secretary