NYC employees ask Palace to name new commissioners, chairperson

MANILA, Philippines — The National Youth Commission Employees' Association is asking Malacañang to appoint new commissioners, saying the policy-making body needs a quorum to fully fulfill its mandate.

The NYC is currently headed by Assistant Secretary Paul Anthony Pangilinan, whom the Deparment of the Interior and Local Government designated as officer-in-charge in June.

Pangilinan, who was commissioner-at-large, was tapped as OIC after Ronald Cardema effectively quit as chairperson by filing a last-minute bid to replace his wife as nominee of the Duterte Youth party-list.

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"However, in spite of having designated ASec Pangilinan as OIC, the commission has yet to have a quorum to fully perform its functions and mandate," NYC said in a release.

It said the NYC has two commissioners-at-large and a commissioner representing the Visayas. "To complete the commission, the president has to appoint commissioners representing Luzon and Mindanao, and a chairperson."

According to the Youth in Nation-Building Act that created the NYC, the commission must have a chairperson, a commissioner each representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, two commissioners chosen at large, and the president of the Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan. 

Under the same law, the NYC chairperson should not be more than 45 years old and should "have occupied positions of responsibility and leadership in duly registered youth and youth-serving organizations or institutions" prior to the appointment.

A full commission will let the NYC make decisions on programs and advocacies, as well as "budget allocation and hiring of personnel," the commission said, citing the National Youth Commission Employees' Association's request.

The NYC was created to lead in coming up with policies and in setting the priorities and direction of the government's youth promotion development programs, as well as to "encourage wide and active participation of the youth in all government and nongovernmental programs, projects and activities affecting them."

The commission is also mandated "harness and develop the full potential of the youth as partners in nation-building and "to supplement government appropriations for youth promotion and development with funds from other sources."