Public and private social agencies reach only about 1.5 million youngsters annually.

Both these agencies are generally concerned with the orphaned, abandoned, abused,
neglected, handicapped, delinquent and morally endangered children only.

EMPLOYMENT
“Developing our human resources does not only mean educating and training our
people but also providing the conditions for their proper utilization. It is an unresponsive
society that does not provide for the full development of a person’s capabilities, either
through its failure to give him the proper type of education or to mis-utilize his talent.
The youth can be a dynamic force in development, only when they find the right job
opportunities in which to make use of their abilities.
“Approximately 300,000 young people (192,000 or 64% of whom resided in small towns
and barrios) composed the body of unemployed youths in 1967. This number
constituted 15.9% of the youth in the labor force, 5.2% of the total youth population, and
33% of total unemployment. The unemployed youth population is almost 1/3 of the
aggregate unemployment, whereas the youth labor force only makes up 1/6 of the total
labor force.
“Obviously, a major reason for the unemployment situation is the lack of adequate
opportunities due to economic factors. Even those with education and training find
themselves without jobs because of the educated unemployed’ and ‘misplaced
professionals; Many college graduates are holding jobs for which they have not been
trained or which do not require college education at all. On the other hands, the out-
school youth seldom require the skill and knowledge that are necessary to qualify them
for gainful employment. As a consequence, they join the ever increasing army of the
unemployed.
 COMMUNITY SUPPORT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH
“Distinguished colleagues, this topic simply refers to the methods of integrated
planning, strategies for resource mobilization and organization. Community support may
be grouped into two general resources: The government and private sectors. It is the
duty of the government to lend its support to everything that will redound to the social
welfare of the children and youth. The appeal for support is also directed to the private
sector which should be more involved. It is gratifying to see the number of governmental
and private agencies serving the children and the youth. While the financing of this
development may turn out to be a problem there will surely be ways and means to raise
funds for so good cause.
“The cause of children and youth should be enshrined in the new Constitution. At this
stage of their lives, a transition period, so to speak, they should be made to enjoy a
number of favorable conditions in order that they may be developed into useful
members of society.
“Recently, you have recognized the political rights of the youth by lowering the voting
age to 18 and permitting illiterates to vote. I ask you to recognize also their economic
and social rights. Let us develop those who will be primarily instrumental in the
development of the nation.
“As I close this brief speech, may I, as a humble member of this Committee remind
you of Dr. Rizal’s clarion call, made through a religious man, in one of his novels:
“Where are the youth who will dedicate their innocence; their idealism; their
enthusiasm to the good of the Fatherland? Where are
they who will give generously their blood to wash away so much shame, crime and
abomination? Pure and immaculate must be the victim for the sacrifice to be worthy:
Where are you young men and young women who are to embody in yourselves the life
force that has been drained from your veins; the pure ideals that have grown stained in
our minds; the fiery enthusiasm that has been quenched in our hearts? We await you,
come, for we await you.”
“My distinguished colleagues, the answer of the Committee to Dr. Rizal is: “The
children and the youth are here and are ready to serve, protect, fight and die for the
Fatherland. They are here waiting for the Constitutional Convention to approve the
article on youth. The State, through us, will yet turn them into better citizens of
tomorrow, of whom you will be truly proud.”
“Thank you.”
As a member of the Committee on Social Justice, Justice Jose Maria Paredes was a
signatory to a proposed constitutional amendment which sought to abolish monopoly in
trade and industry.
The proposed amendment stated that no person, family, corporation or cooperative
should be allowed to own more than 20 percent of the capital in any business, trade and
industry enterprise. The remaining eighty percent of capital or shares of stock should be
left open for equal subscription by the general public and cooperative. If there was no
subscribing public or cooperative, the government should obtain subscription with the
equity open under the care of the public and cooperative for a period of five years from
the initial opening of the business, industry or trade.
The amendment stated further that the State, by giving franchise, concession and
license which covers the natural resources, will give social justice because it spreads
benefits which will arise from getting and using
them.
In relation to this objective, the State should not allow any franchise, concession and
license to a few persons or groups.
The holder of the franchise, concession and license should be asked to recognize the
right of the employee to have a share in the national income and the government should
exact a relatively big taxation from those who are benefitting in excess.
All franchises, concession and license will be given a grace period of five years from
the promulgation of the Constitution to comply with the provision of the Constitution. All
franchises, concession and licenses that will expire within the five-year period should
comply with the provision of the Constitution.
It should be the duty of the State to regulate and limit the export of raw materials from
logs and minerals. The complete restriction of the export of logs and minerals should be
implemented five years after the promulgation of the Constitution.
The members of the Committee on Social Justice were: Delegate Teresita Dy Flores
(Albay) chairman; Romeo Gonzaga, vice-chairman; Macario Camello (Cotabato),
Representative of the Sponsorship Council and Delegates Antonio Alano (Batangas),
Ernesto Ang (Romblon), Salvador Araneta, (Rizal), Cicero Calderon ( Cebu ), Antonio
Ceniza ( Zamboanga del Sur ), Augusto Espiritu, ( Rizal ), Teofisto Guingona ( Rizal ),
Ramon Gonzales ( Iloilo ), Eduardo Guirnalda ( Ilocos Sur ), Oliveros Kintanar, ( Cebu ),
Carlo Ledesma ( Negros Occidental ), Eriberto Misa ( Surigao del Sur ), Lamberto
Mordeno ( Agusan del Sur ), Jaime Opinion ( Eastern Samar ), Pacifico Ortiz ( Rizal ),
Rodolfo Ortiz ( South Cotabato ), Jose Ma. Paredes ( Rizal ), Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.
( Misamis Oriental ), Emilio de la Paz ( Rizal ), Timateo Ruben ( Misamis Occidental ),
Oscar Santos ( Quezon ), Gregorio Tingzon ( Negros Occidental ), Venancio Yaneza
( Masbate ), and Jose
Yulo, Jr. (Laguna).
Delegate Jose Maria Paredes of the Committee on Social Justice belonged
specifically to its sub-committee on Social Justice and Indigent’s Easy Access to Courts.
This sub-committee comprised of Delegate Antonio Ceniza, (Zamboanga del Sur),
chairman; and Delegates Lamberto Mordeno (Agusan del Sur); Jose Maria Parerdes
(Rizal), and Rodolfo Ortiz (South Cotabato), members.
The Bill of Rights under Article III Section 21 of the February 8, 1935 Constitution only
provided that “Free access to the court shall not be denied to any person by reason of
poverty”. The 1971 Constitutional Convention Sub-committee on Social Justice and
Indigent’s Easy Access to Courts sought to expand this provision. It sought to amend
this portion to read: “Free access to courts as well as to any other government agency
shall provide free and adequate legal assistance to citizens when by reason of
indigence they are unable to protect their rights.”
Another recommendation of the sub-committee which was approved by the
Committee on Social Justice was the creation of a body which shall provide such free
and adequate legal service to include among other’s, prosecute or defend poor
defendants in criminal cases, it being understood that these parties are litigants of the
Philippines.
Justice Jose Maria Paredes was also a member of the Committee on Health. It was
composed of Delegate Godofredo Reyes (Isabela), chairman; Delegate Lourdes S.
Trono (Iloilo), vice-chairman and Delegates George H. Viterbo, (Capiz); Jose N.
Nolledo, (Palawan); Celso P. Tabuena, (Sorsogon); Raymundo A. Padiernos (Nueva
Ecija); and Demetrio Quirino, Jr. (Nueva Vizcaya), members.
The Committee on Health took cognizance of the fact that the 1935 Constitution
Of the Philippines had a provision about general welfare but it had no specific provision
about the right to good health for the people. The committee on Health provided that the
“People’s health is the first duty of the State.” It proposed that a Commission on Health
which was intended to be a constitutional body be created and provided for in the
fundamental law of the land.
The Committee cited several reasons for proposing the creation of a Commission on
Health. It said that health is merely implied in the phrase “general welfare” in the
preamble of the 1935 Constitution. That was why it deemed necessary that there must
be a mandate to the State to promote and protect the health of the people.
It added that health should be given priority by the government in order to develop a
strong nation. It said that health is a basic human right as emphasized in the
Constitution of the World Health Organization.
It presupposed that with a healthy people, national development can move faster and
the economic growth of the country will be accelerated.
It quoted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stated that: “Everyone has
the right to a standard of living, adequate for the health and well-being of himself and
his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care, necessary social services
and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,
old age or lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control”.
From this assertion in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the main problem
and objective was to protect the importance of health in the life of the nation and give it
priority attention.
There were sixteen resolutions filed before the Constitutional Convention to adopt the
proposal to create a Commission on Health or something to that effect.
 The Committee on Health empowered the Commission on Health thus: “It shall
control, regulate and supervise the educational training and practice of the medical and
allied health profession with the cooperation of the appropriate government agencies, all
private and public health institutions and enterprises, as well as the manufacture and
distribution of drugs in accordance with national health plans which shall be
established.”
Justice Maria Paredes, together with Delegates Viterbo, Padiernos, Nolledo and
Reyes exhaustively discussed71 the inclusion of a section concerning the creation of the
Committee on Health which read as follows:
“In the formulation of a national health plan, priorities shall be given to preventive
medical services, medical care delivery, sanitation and environmental solutions, medical
manpower development, public health education, training of paramedical health workers
and measure to provide the adequate protection of the personal safety of industrial and
agricultural workers and the public.
By virtue of the proposals of high-ranking officials of the then Department of Health
namely Secretary Cruz, Under-secretary Gatmaitan and Dr. Mayuga in a public hearing,
a move was initiated to increase the budget allocation of the proposed Commission on
Health.
In a public hearing, a move was initiated increase the budget allocation of the
proposed Commission on Health. It was disclosed that the Department of Health
received P250 million which was equivalent to six percent of the national budget. The
Health officials suggested that the proposed Commission on Health be allocated 12
percent of the national budget which at that time was equivalent to P500 million.
_________________
71/ Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee on Health of the 1971
Constitutional convention held on November 29, 1971
 With this budget the department will be “able to cope with its functions and
services”.72Such increased budget would not include the Medicare program which was
intended to be implemented under the proposed Commission on Health. Delegate
Celso P. Tabuena remarked that the twelve percent budget allocation would be
inadequate.
Delegate Jose Maria Paredes suggested that the proposed budget should be
increased to fifteen percent.
In the light of the foregoing, the Committee on Health moved for the inclusion of the
provision that the proposed Commission on Health “shall be allotted an annual
appropriation for its functions, not less than fifteen percent of the national budget, which
shall be automatically released upon the approval of the Appropriation Law.”
Delegate Jose Ma. Paredes was rather “pessimistic” during the initial deliberations of
the Committee on Health because of the so many proposals that it received moving for
the creation of various commissions namely Commission on Health, Population,
Pollution and Medicare. However, in his conversation with his fellow delegates, they
agreed to provide only for the Commission on Health which “shall have jurisdiction over
all health offices and agencies, gradually absorbing the functions of the Department of
Health.”
Delegate Jose Ma. Paredes envisioned that the proposed Medicare Commission and
the Population Control Commission would be absorbed by the Commission on Health
which would also supervise the Board of Medical Examiners. He was of the view that
instead of having so many commissions, it would be “easier to work on one” at the
beginning.
__________________________
72/ Ibid
Delegate Jose Maria Paredes’ proposals were averred to by his co-committee members
he being “recognized as one of the knowledgeable members of the body and whose
opinions are respected by his colleagues”.73
Delegate Jose Ma. Paredes was likewise, a signatory and sponsor of Resolution 048
which sought to propose the creation of an independent Commission on Population
Control.
His co-sponsors were: Jose P. Leviste, Jr. (Batangas),