Nat’l Youth Commission ends partnership with Bam Aquino, won’t focus anymore on LGBT programs

The National Youth Commission (NYC) on Thursday said it has ended its partnership with a foundation linked to opposition Senator Bam Aquino and that it will no longer give focus on programs and activities for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

NYC officer-in-charge Ronald Cardema said the commission is allocating P1.7 million for the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations of the Philippines, which is organized by the TAYO Awards Foundation, Inc. in partnership with Aquino's office.

"We have decided that instead of contributing these government funds to the private youth awards of Senator Bam Aquino, we will just establish our own government youth awards to be called, 'The President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Youth Leadership Awards' for outstanding youth leaders and youth organizations throughout the country, and even for organizations of young OFWs," Cardema said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

A former NYC commissioner-at-large, Aquino is a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial policies including the bloody war on drugs.

Cardema also said the NYC will redirect its programs and activities "towards the desired policies of President Duterte, and not anymore focused mainly on LGBT matters just like in the previous years."

"We are the National Youth Commission, not an LGBT commission. We are here to serve the tens of millions of Filipino youth, not only a specific sector within that big youthful population. The LGBT community is already our friend, and has already established its mark in our society," he said.

Asked if his statement that the agency is not an LGBT commission was a criticism of the previous NYC chief, Aiza Seguerra, Cardema replied in the negative.

"No naman. Because bago pa si Aiza, parang mayroon culture kasi sa National Youth Commission na mag-focus sa LGBT. Parang previous pa, bago si Aiza, time of Aquino administration, kahit GMA [Arroyo] administration, parang nagpu-focus iyong policies on LGBT matters, LGBT resolutions sa NYC. Sa tingin ko po ngayon, wala naman talaga tayong major problem with the LGBT community. They are our friends," he said.

Seguerra, a transgender man, resigned as NYC chairperson last month. During his stint as NYC chief, he pushed for HIV awareness and youth representation in government.

Seguerra even urged Duterte to stop making rape jokes. —KBK, GMA News