BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing youth participation and representation in local disaster risk reduction and management in the city.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated there shall be a youth representative in the city and barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils and the National Youth Commission (NYC), in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) City field office, shall formulate the guidelines for the selection of the youth representative.
Under the proposal, the qualifications of the youth representative to the said councils are: not necessarily college graduate but underwent training and have experience in disaster risk reduction and management or climate change actions, and is willing and capable of serving as a member of the councils; a member of a community-based organization, preferably those that have disaster risk reduction engagements or have worked with the NYC; at least one year residency in the barangay to help ensure familiarity of the barangay he or she will serve.
City representatives shall be selected or appointed by the city chief executive from a pool of five candidates to be nominated by the majority of the members of the city disaster risk reduction and management council; youth representatives shall be nominated or voted upon by the city youth representatives to form a federated type of representatives and local disaster risk reduction and management councils and youth representatives shall not be related to the appointing authority up to fourth degree of consanguinity.
The youth representatives to the local disaster risk reduction and management council shall provide youth lanes in disaster risk reduction and management, and environmental preservation missions and conservation activities of the city, acting as the lead connector and influence to, and of, the broader section of the youth in the locality; lead in the preparation and champion the passage of a local youth plan and evaluate the implementation of the same; participate in the budget process of the local disaster risk reduction and management office, including regular and consultative meetings and hearings relating to the fund; present position papers or written proposals on disaster risk reduction-related projects and programs included in the fund; propose disaster-related policies, programs and projects that may benefit the youth, in particular in the city, including but not limited to, emergency preparedness, training and workshops, tree planting, waste segregation and clean-up drives; serve as the focal person of NYC for potential programs and projects regarding disaster preparedness, risk mitigation and climate change adaptation; ensure that the youth are properly integrated into the plan; establish standard operating procedures for communication among the youth in the city; perform such other functions as may be necessary for the representation and strengthening of youth participation in disaster risk reduction management and lead in organizing and mobilizing youth advocates for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and perform other related tasks.
By Dexter A. See
