DAVAO CITY-Young lawmakers of the Bangsamoro government have pushed the Parliament’s approval of laws for the youth covering maritime travel safety, protection of the youth involved in early and forced marriages and transparency in governance.
In the fourth gathering of the Bangsamoro Youth Parliament (BYP), it pushed for six bills and three resolutions for possible endorsement to the Bangsamoro Parliament and other concerned institutions.
BYC Chairperson Nasserudin Dunding said the six approved bills covered safe maritime transport for students, transparency and access to information, economic development, pluralistic youth health advocacy, emergency health access, and Toril development and child welfare.
The three resolutions focused on protecting survivors of Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM), interventions to address the learning and literacy crisis, and strengthening youth economic empowerment and agricultural development.
The youth-crafted measures were among the outputs of the five-day parliament held July 27-31 at the KCC Convention Hall in Cotabato City, where Young Members of Parliament (YMPs) from across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) deliberated on issues affecting young people and their communities, the BYC said.
Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Mohammad Yacob and Deputy Speaker Baintan Ampatuan received the approved measures for possible policy consideration in the regular Bangsamoro Parliament.
‘The goal is not only to train future leaders but to ensure that the ideas and policies developed by our young parliamentarians can contribute to the region’s governance,’ Dunding said.
He said the YMPs underwent parliamentary orientations, committee workshops, mock legislative sessions, sponsorship and defense of proposed measures, and plenary deliberations before approving the final bills and resolutions.
Their gathering also marked a milestone when they elected the first women to serve as Youth Chief Minister and Youth Parliament Speaker. They were Lolwa Musa as the Youth Chief Minister and Faykha Khayriyyah Ala as presiding officer over the Fourth BYP as its speaker.
Ala said she hoped the experience would lead to stronger collaboration among young leaders across BARMM.
‘I am looking forward to seeing my fellow youth parliamentarians from different backgrounds collaborate and build networks to create programs for the betterment of the Bangsamoro-not only for individual provinces but through interconnected efforts that will benefit the entire region,’ she said.
Fayeza Muizz Paniorotan, one of this year’s Best Proponent awardees, said the youth parliament gave young people a platform to raise issues affecting their communities and turn them into concrete policy proposals. ‘The youth are often underrepresented, but we are capable, aware of what is happening in our communities, and ready to offer real solutions.’
BYP Floor Leader Mustashar Astarani of Tawi-Tawi said the parliament reminded delegates of the responsibility that comes with representing their communities. ‘As someone given the opportunity to serve and represent the youth, it is our responsibility to amplify the voices of the communities we represent.’