Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Based on the statistical data provided for by the Department of 
Education (DepEd), as of September 21, 2021, around 26.3 million 
students have enrolled for school year 2021-2022 in both public1 and 
private schools. There is a 100.3% increase from the 26.3 million 
enrollment for 2020. However, the dangers brought upon the COVID-19 
pandemic up to this day impact the number of out-of-school youth in the 
country. The continued increase of the number of out-of-school youth is 
alarming and should not be taken lightly as this will create a problematic 
impact in their future, their families and the country as well. 
It is imperative for the State to create measures that would help the 
out-of-school youth in the country maximize their potentials and 
encourage them to take part in programs that will help secure their future. 
As such, this Bill is being passed to be able to create solutions to the 
upward trend of the number of out-of-school youth in the country and 
provide opportunities that would be beneficial for their well-being.  
This Bill seeks to provide a magna carta of the out-of-school youth 
in the Philippines which shall provide measures that will protect their 
rights, provide equal opportunities, and create programs that will 
maximize their potential. In coordination with a number of government 
agencies, this Bill will become an effective tool in encouraging and 
1 https://www.rappler.com/nation/deped-report-student-enrollment-school-year-2021-2022 
October 6, 2021
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assuring that the out-of-school youth of the country will become productive 
members of the society.  
In view of the foregoing the passage of this Bill is earnestly sought. 
ERIC OLIVAREZ 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 
“AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA OF THE 
OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH” 
Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta of the 
Out-of-School Youth”.  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby the declared policy of the 
State to give highest priority to the enactment of measures that protect and enhance 
the right of all people to human dignity and reduce social and economic inequalities. 
Towards this end, the State shall adopt measures that will ensure that rights of the 
out-of-school youth are recognized and give support to the enhancement of their well-
beings.  
SECTION 3. – Definition of Terms. – 
a. “Out-of-School Youth” shall refer to Filipinos aged fifteen (15) years old to
thirty (30) years old who are not enrolled in any educational institution, not
gainfully employed, and have not been able to finish tertiary level education or
any post-secondary course;
b. “Technical and Vocational Education” shall refer to education, training and
skills development relating to a wide range of occupational fields, production,
services and livelihoods;
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c. “Local Social Welfare and Development Officer” shall refer to the officer 
designated as such under the Office on Social Welfare and Development 
Offices.  
SECTION 4. The State as the Primary Duty-Bearer – The State, through 
agencies aimed at serving the youth, shall be guided the progressive developments 
in the human rights of out-of-school youth set forth by applicable international law. As 
such, the State shall create measures that will serve the best interest of out-of-school 
youth. It shall institute programs that will carry out the following objectives of this Act:  
a. The protection of the rights of out-of-school youth against discrimination 
by private corporations, entities, and individuals;  
b. The substantive equality in the rights of out-of-school youth in all spheres 
of growth and development.  
SECTION 5.  Duties of the State Agencies and Instrumentalities. – The 
duties of the State as stated in the preceding section shall extend to all state agencies, 
offices, and instrumentalities at all levels and government-owned and controlled 
corporations, subject to the Constitution and pertinent laws, policies, or administrative 
guidelines that define specific duties or state agencies and entities concerned.  
SECTION 6. Human Rights of Out-of-School Youth. – All rights enshrined in 
the Constitution and those rights recognized under international instruments duly 
signed and ratified by the Philippines shall be enjoyed by out-of-school youth without 
any form of discrimination.  
SECTION 7. Protection from Violence. – The State, through its appropriate 
agencies, shall ensure the protection of all out-of-school youth from any kind of 
violence which shall include but shall not be limited to physical abuse, sexual 
exploitation, and human trafficking.  
SECTION 8.  Equal Treatment Before the Law. – The State shall take steps 
to ensure equal treatment of all out-of-school youth. It shall review existing laws that 
are discriminatory to out-of-school youth and, when necessary, amend or repeal the 
same.  
SECTION 9. Representation of Out-of-School Youth Issues and Concerns 
in Media and Film. – The State shall formulate policies and programs for the 
advancement of out-of-school youth, in collaboration with government and non-
government media-related organizations.  
For this purpose, the State shall ensure allocation of space, airtime, and 
resources, strengthening programming, production, and image-making that 
appropriately present the out-of-school youth’s needs, issues and concerns in all 
forms of media, communication, information dissemination, and advertising.  


 
SECTION 10. Recognition and Preservation of Cultural Identity and 
Integrity. – The State shall prioritize the promotion, preservation and protection of the 
culture and traditions of Moro and indigenous peoples who are out-of-school youth. 
The State shall adopt measures in consultation with the concerned sectors to protect 
their rights, their indigenous knowledge systems and practices, traditional livelihood 
and other manifestations of their culture and way of life.  
SECTION 11. Government Assistance. –  The State, through its agencies 
and instrumentalities, shall provide the following to the out-of-school youth:  
a. Education – The Department of Education (DepEd), Technical 
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Commission 
on Higher Education (CHED), in consultation with appropriate 
organizations, shall institute programs that will provide access to 
education for out-of-school youth, whether formal or non-formal;  
b. Health – The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the 
appropriate agencies, shall institute a national health program and 
provide integral health service for out-of-school youth;  
c. Social Services – The Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD), in cooperation relevant stakeholders, shall develop and 
implement programs on social services for out-of-school youth. Such 
programs shall be composed of social enhancement services which 
shall focus on providing opportunities for out-of-school youth to socialize, 
engage in activities that focus on creative expression and self-
improvement, and after-care services for out-of-school youth who have 
been discharged from the homes or institutions of the DSWD, especially 
those who have problems of reintegration with the family and the 
community; 
d. Employment – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in 
coordination with other government agencies, shall initiate programs that 
will provide skills and welfare or livelihood support four out-of-school 
youth.  
SECTION 12. Mandatory Technical/Vocational Education. –  The State, 
through TESDA, in accordance with its training regulations, shall provide mandatory 
technical/vocational education to the out-of-school youth.  
The technical/vocational education provided for by the State shall be free of 
charge. The State shall also provide the necessary materials, instruments and tools in 
relation to the technical/vocational course that the out-of-school youth will be enrolled 
in. Likewise, the allowance necessary to shoulder transportation costs and other 
essential costs shall be provided for by the State.  


 
SECTION 13. Skills Development Coordinators at the Local Government 
Units (LGU). – The LGUs, through the appropriate department, shall be in charge of 
monitoring the progress and development of the out-of-school youth in the chosen 
technical/vocational course.  In order to be able to monitor the out-of-school youth, the 
LGU shall require the respective institutions to submit, among others, regular 
enrollment and completion of the programs being implemented.  
SECTION 14. Promotion to Formal Tertiary Education. – The local Social 
Welfare and Development Officer (SWDO) may recommend an out-of-school youth to 
be a recipient of a scholarship program from the CHED under the R.A. No. 10391 or 
the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act and R.A. No. 10687 or the 
Unified Student Financial System for Tertiary Education Act , subject to qualifications 
to be set forth by the appropriate government agency.  
SECTION 15. Entrepreneurial Education. – The Department of Trade and 
Industry (DTI), in coordination with TESDA and other relevant government agencies, 
shall initiate and conduct training programs that shall focus on entrepreneurship such 
as, but not limited to, small business management education in order to hone the 
entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of the out-of-school youth.  
SECTION 16. Alternative Learning System. – The alternative learning mode 
of education shall also be made available to the out-of-school youth including those 
who are in the custody of an institution under the DSWD. The DSWD shall coordinate 
with the DepEd for the provision and accessibility of the Alternative Learning System 
(ALS) within its premises. 
SECTION 17.  Employment. – The State shall encourage the out-of-school 
youth to become productive members of the society. As such, the out-of-school youth 
who are capacitated and those who desire to work shall be provided with employment 
opportunities.  
SECTION 18. Entrepreneurial Facilitation. – The State shall establish a 
community-based method of addressing the needs and barriers facing out-of-school 
youth entrepreneurs. The objective is to encourage and develop a diverse and robust 
local entrepreneurial economy that will lead to more opportunities for the out-of-school 
youth.  
SECTION 19. Decent Work Conditions for Out-of-School Youth. – The 
State shall ensure that the out-of-school youth who have completed their 
technical/vocational education are provided for with decent work conditions. These 
shall include but shall not be limited to the following guarantees:  


a. Local job generation and employment, as well as other economic 
opportunities and ensuring that the rights against their forced and 
involuntary displacement are enforced;  
b. Promotion and protection of the rights and welfare of migrant 
technical/vocational education graduates regardless of their work status, 
as well as the enforcement of their rights against discrimination in 
wages, conditions of work, and employment opportunities in host 
countries;  
c. Productive and commensurate remuneration in work opportunities, 
security of tenure in the workplace and better prospects for personal 
development and social integration.  
SECTION 20. Insurance Coverage. – The State shall create measures to 
provide out-of-school youth workers to be covered by a mandatory life, accident, and 
health insurance to be provided by their respective employers.  
SECTION 21. Out-of-School Youth victims of abuse and other difficult 
circumstances. – Out-of-school youth who are victims of sexual and physical abuse, 
illegal recruitment, prostitution, trafficking, armed conflict, out-of-school youth in 
conflict with the law, and other analogous circumstances shall be provided services 
as necessary, such as, but not limited to the following:  
a. Temporary protective custody;  
b. Medical and dental services;  
c. Psychological evaluation;  
d. Counseling;  
e. Psychiatric evaluation;  
f. Legal services;  
g. Productivity skill capacity building;  
h. Livelihood assistance;  
i. Financial assistance;  
j. Life skills training; and  
k. Health education and information.  
 
The DSWD, Department of Justice (DOJ), DOH and DepEd), in coordination 
with the appropriate LGU, shall lead in the facilitating, implementing, monitoring and 


planning of the programs set forth in this Section for the rehabilitation of the out-of-
school youth.  
SECTION 22. Advisory Council. – The Advisory Council created under R.A. 
No. 8044 or the Youth in Nation Building Act shall plan, coordinate, and monitor yearly 
work programs pursuant the provisions of this Act. Furthermore, the Advisory Council 
shall coordinate with the relevant government agencies to ensure that the programs 
as mentioned in this Act are initiated.  
SECTION 23. Local Social Welfare and Development Officer. – The Local 
Social Welfare and Development of each LGU shall be responsible in the effecting 
implementation of the provisions of this Act and shall have the following functions:  
a. Create a list of available and required services which can be provided 
for out-of-school youth;  
b. Maintain and regularly update the list of out-of-school youth;  
c. Issue individual identification cards free of charge and which shall be 
uniform nationwide that shall be granted validity to be used anywhere in 
the country;  
d. Serve as a general information center to serve the needs of the out-of-
school youth;  
e. Coordinate with the Advisory Council to ensure compliance with the 
provisions of this Act;  
f. Report to the Chief Executive of the city or municipality any individual, 
establishment, business entity, institution or agency in violation of any of 
the provisions set forth in this Act;  
g. Ensure that government institutions and private establishments to 
prominently display notices that will generate public awareness on rights 
of out-of-school youth.  
SECTION 24. Penalties. - Any person who violates any provision of this Act 
shall, upon conviction, suffer the following penalties:  
a. For the first violation, imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more 
than two (2) years and a fine of not less than FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS 
(Php50,000.00) but not more than ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS 
(Pl00,000.00);  
b. For any subsequent violation, imprisonment of not less than two (2) years but 
not more than six (6) years and a fine of not less than ONE HUNDRED 
THOUSAND PESOS (Php100,000.00) but not more than TWO HUNDRED 
THOUSAND PESOS (Php200,000.00); and  


c. Any person who, not being qualified under this Act or with deceit and fraudulent 
machination, shall avail of any of the benefits and privileges granted under this 
Act shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment for not less than six (6) months but 
not more than two (2) years and a fine of not less than FIFTY THOUSAND 
PESOS (Php50,000.00) but not more than ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND 
PESOS (P100,000.00). 
If the offender is a corporation, organization or any similar entity, the officials 
thereof directly involved in the commission of the act in violation of any of the 
provisions of this Act shall be held liable.  
If the offender is an alien or a foreigner, he shall be deported immediately upon 
service of sentence without further proceedings. Upon filing of the appropriate 
complaint or information, the proper authorities, in coordination with the concerned 
LGU, shall cause the cancellation or revocation of the business permit, permit to 
operate, franchise, and other similar privileges granted to any business, entity or 
person that fails to abide by or violates the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 25. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) 
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Advisory Council and the DSWD, in 
consultation with relevant stakeholders shall promulgate the implementing rules and 
regulations as may be necessary to ensure the efficient and effective implementation 
of this Act,  
SECTION 26. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be appropriated from any available 
funds from the National Treasury. Thereafter, any sums as may be needed for the 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act (GAA) of the respective agencies 
SECTION 27. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain 
valid and subsisting.  
SECTION 28. Repealing Clause. – All acts, executive orders, memorandum 
circulars/guidelines and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with 
this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
SECTION 29. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
 
 
APPROVED.