CPD: Investing in youth shapes Philippine future

MANILA, Philippines — Investments made during a child’s formative years play an important role in shaping the future of the Filipino youth, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said yesterday as it called for more proactive public policies concerning children’s development.

“Investments made in early childhood strengthen outcomes in adolescence. Positive adolescent experiences create better opportunities in adulthood. And those opportunities ultimately shape the well-being of future families and generations,” CPD deputy executive director Lolito Tacardon said in his message during the Youth Aspiration Forum at the Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong yesterday.

The CPD, together with partner agencies, organized the forum in observance of World Population Day tomorrow.

Tacardon also pointed out that the most effective public policies are those “that invest early, sustain support throughout life, and ensure that no young person is left behind.”

“What changes is not the dream. What changes is the pathway toward achieving it. As children become adolescents, life becomes more complex. Financial constraints, the need to work, mental health concerns, exposure to violence, bullying, early pregnancy, and early union begin to influence the choices available to them,” Tacardon said.

He added that for some young people, these circumstances gradually narrow opportunities that once seemed within reach, such as those adolescents who were forced to stop going to school.

The official then urged colleagues in government, development partners, educators, local leaders, parents, and civil society organizations to invest in the youth.

“Investing in young people is not simply a social responsibility. It is a strategic investment in our country’s future,” said Tacardon. – Bella Cariaso