Tagbilaran City establishes YDA 

to forge partnerships for OSYs

TAGBILARAN CITY, Oct. 12 (PIA) -- Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II formally signed on Oct. 9 the Executive Order which formalizes the establishment of the Youth Development Alliance (YDA).

YDA will be the prime factor in the collaboration of people, communities, and organizations to support education, employment, and livelihood needs of the city’s out of school youth (OSY).

Signed in time for the launching of the Opportunity 2.0 or second chance opportunities for the city’s OSYs, the YDA is also an enabling mechanism for the program is funded by the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to operate.

With the YDA in Tagbilaran, the city would be among the 12 cities in the country which has also crafted their own YDAs as a mechanism for OSY development as piloted by the USAID-funded program.

The five-year P1.9-B or $35.7-M "Opportunity 2.0: Second-Chance Opportunities for Out-of-School Youth" program will work with the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and local governments to support their programs to provide relevant education, employability skills, and work experience to 180,000 OSYs across the Philippines, according to a press statement issued by the US Embassy.

Opportunity 2.0 runs from 2020-2025 and would focus on improving the learning and earning outcomes of out-of-school Filipino youth by working with key stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to strengthen the education, training, and employment systems at the national and local levels. 

These include DepEd’s enhanced Alternative Learning Systems program, TESDA’s skills training programs, and local government programs for youth.

The program launch featured Tagbilaran City Mayor Baba Yap, DepEd Superintendent Joseph Irwin Lagura, TESDA Provincial Director Maria Isabel Consejo Buensuceso, and USAID Philippines Director of Education Thomas LeBlanc.

Over 30 key local agencies participated in the virtual event, including other regional agencies, academia, training institutions, local entrepreneurs, business associations, and youth groups.

The YDA, which came as an effort of the City Youth Development Council and the Sangguninag Kabataan along with other key sectors, will bind government agencies, local businesses, schools, and the youth themselves in a coordination mechanism that direct help to Bohol’s OSYs.

“A key element in this journey of youth transformation is partnership. Alliances that consist of committed and capable individuals and institutions who selflessly put in their time, effort, and resources to advance our shared goal has to be a central feature in improving the lives of youth in communities in Angeles City and across the country,” stated Thomas LeBlanc, Director of Education of USAID/Philippines, about this model that has already benefited thousands of youths in USAID’s previous work.

With the YDA, USAID will work with local governments in 12 cities across the country to help in mobilizing resources for OSYs as the program will work with over 2,200 employers and at least 50 education or training institutions, including major hubs like Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Davao.

Yap, in his message, expressed strong commitment for the program.

“We warmly embrace, commit to the success of this project,” he said during the virtual launch. 

He also called on all stakeholders to collaborate for the youth.

“Out-of-school youth are in the fringes. They need our help to get back to education or join the workforce. There is no better time than today to put focus on our OSY,” said Yap. 

Opportunity 2.0 is implemented by U.S.-based Education Development Center with partners Accenture, Philippine Business for Education, Catholic Relief Services, Voluntary Services Overseas, and SEAMEO INNOTECH. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

AMONG THE LUCKY 12. Tagbilaran City, having established its YDA will be among the 12 cities in the country which will benefit from the P1.9B USAID project that will focus on strengthening education, job opportunities and livelihood for the city’s out-of-school youth. (PIABohol)

GOING BIG ON PARTNERSHIPS FOR OSY DEVELOPMENT. Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II has created the Youth Development Alliance, a mechanism that allows the collaboration of sectors and agencies to focus their assisatnce to out-of-school youth (OSY) in support of the USAID funded Opportunity 2.0 launched on Oct. 9. (PIA Bohol file photo) 

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYABILITY OF OSYs. Tagbilaran City has just formalized a USAID assited project that focuses on OSY education and job generation, as the city innovates to maximize its leveraging funds for its sectors development. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol files)