Out-of-School Youth (OSYs) are individuals aged 15 to 30 who are not enrolled in formal education and are often disconnected from employment and training opportunities. In the Philippines, this group faces challenges such as poverty, lack of access to quality education, and limited livelihood options. To address this, various government agencies and partner organizations have launched specialized assistance programs aimed at equipping OSYs with the skills, education, and support they need to reenter school, find employment, or start a business.
These programs are important because they represent a shared commitment between the government, private sector, and civil society to reduce inequality and build a more inclusive society. Helping OSYs become productive citizens not only improves their lives but also strengthens communities and boosts the country’s economic potential. Being aware of these programs allows us to support, promote, and even participate in solutions that uplift the youth and create lasting positive change.
List of Out-of-School Youth (OSY) Assistance Programs in the Philippines
Here are the general types of programs available for OSYs in the Philippines.
- Alternative Education Programs: These programs provide non-formal education pathways or second-chance learning options for OSY (out-of-school youth).
- Skills Training, Employment, & Entrepreneurship Programs: These programs support skills-building for employment or business development.
- Livelihood and Credit Assistance Programs: Focused on financial assistance and entrepreneurship opportunities, often tied to specific sectors.
- Literacy & Community Outreach Programs: Initiatives that promote basic literacy or encourage community-based education access.
Now that you are aware of the different types of programs for OSYs, you may start checking out the actual assistance programs to see which one suits you best.
1. Opportunity 2.0
Provider: USAID (United States Agency for International Development), in partnership with DepEd ALS, TESDA, DTI, LGUs, and private sector organizations
Opportunity 2.0 is a five-year, Php2 billion (approx. $37.5M) program funded by USAID that offers Filipino out-of-school youth (OSY) a second chance to improve their lives through accessible education, job training, and entrepreneurship support. It collaborates with national agencies and institutions to ensure OSY have meaningful and market-relevant pathways that will help them pursue higher education, prepare for employment, or start their own businesses. The program operates in 15 cities across the Philippines and is open to youth aged 15 to 24 who haven’t completed a bachelor’s degree become empowered through the provision of relevant, high-quality learning and economic opportunities.
Purpose: To empower out-of-school youth in the Philippines by providing them a second chance with opportunities to pursue higher education, gain job-ready skills, or start and grow their own business by strengthening local and national systems that support their development and success.
Features and Benefits:
- Pathways to Higher Education:
- Collaborates with DepEd’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) and Higher Education Institutions
- Daily ALS enrollment is available
- Includes preparatory courses for college/university
- Skills Training for Employment:
- Offers tech-vocational training through TESDA and partner institutions
- Ensures training matches current industry needs
- Increases employability through practical, in-demand skills
- Support for Starting a Business:
- Provides entrepreneurship training with support from TESDA, DepEd, DTI, and private sector partners
- Helps youth gain practical business knowledge and tools
- Mentorship and coaching for self-employment
- Networking support and startup resources
- Grants of up to Php2M for service providers to implement training programs targeting at least 100 OSYs
- Collaboration with ALS/TVET service providers, NGOs, tech-voc schools, and private institutions with experience in youth education or training
Eligible Cities:
Angeles City, Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Pasig City, Legazpi City, Cebu City, Iloilo City, Tagbilaran City, Davao City, General Santos City, Cotabato City, Cagayan De Oro City, Iligan City, Isabela City, Zamboanga City
2. Abot-Alam
Provider: Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the National Youth Commission (NYC) and various government agencies, LGUs, and NGOs
Abot-Alam is a nationwide convergence program targeting out-of-school youth (OSY) aged 15–30 years old. It aims to map and profile OSYs across the country and provide them with appropriate interventions in education, employment, and entrepreneurship. The program promotes reintegration into society and supports the government’s goal of achieving Education for All and the Millennium Development Goals.
Purpose: To ensure that all Filipino out-of-school youth are given equal access to education, training, and livelihood opportunities, ultimately reducing the number of OSYs and helping them become productive members of society.
Features and benefits:
- Data Banking: Builds a national database of OSYs through barangay-level mapping
- Unified National Framework: Consolidates efforts and resources from government and non-government sectors for OSY support
- Equal Opportunity: Guarantees fair access to education, employment, and training programs for all OSYs
- Two-Phase Program:
- Data Gathering/Mapping – Identifies OSYs using a system similar to the DSWD’s NHTS-PR
- Community Reintegration – Offers educational, livelihood, or employment interventions to help OSYs reintegrate
- Multi-Sectoral Collaboration: Encourages support from LGUs, NGOs, and other stakeholders for sustainable implementation
- Inclusive Development: Responds to national education targets and promotes no learner left behind
3. Alternative Learning System (ALS)
Provider: Department of Education (DepEd), Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS)
The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is a parallel learning system that offers flexible and modular education options for out-of-school youth (OSY), adults, and other learners who are unable to access or complete formal education. It includes two major programs: the Basic Literacy Program and the Continuing Education Program – Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E). Learning sessions are conducted in community-based settings such as learning centers, barangays, or homes, facilitated by mobile teachers and instructional managers.
Purpose: To provide accessible, flexible, and quality basic education to Filipinos who are unable to attend or complete formal schooling due to economic, geographic, or personal constraints.
Features and Benefits:
- Offers non-formal education for learners outside the traditional school system
- Includes Basic Literacy and Accreditation & Equivalency (A&E) Programs
- Modular and flexible learning schedules based on the learner’s availability
- Recognized equivalency with formal basic education upon passing the A&E Test
- Conducted in community learning centers, homes, or barangay halls
- Facilitated by trained ALS mobile teachers and instructional managers
- Aligned with the 1987 Constitution and Republic Act 9155 (Governance of Basic Education Act)
- Promotes lifelong learning and community-based education
- Supports learners in achieving elementary or junior high school certification
4. DA-ACPC Credit Program for Out-of-School Youth (OSY)
Provider: Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC)
The DA-ACPC Credit Program for OSY is a specialized financing facility that provides affordable and accessible credit to out-of-school youth (OSY) aged 18–24 who are interested in engaging in cattle fattening. The program operates in six priority provinces: Ilocos Norte, Leyte, Rizal, Tawi-Tawi, Surigao del Norte, and Bohol. Alongside credit assistance, the program offers training, marketing support, and technical guidance to empower OSYs and strengthen the local cattle industry.
Purpose: To support out-of-school youth by equipping them with capital, training, and support systems for sustainable cattle fattening enterprises that generate income, employment, and contribute to national beef production.
Features and Benefits:
- Loan Amount: Up to ₱200,000 per borrower
- Interest Rate: 0% interest
- Service Fee: 3.5% (one-time per availment)
- Guarantee Fee: 1.35% per annum
- Loan Term: Payable up to 5 years (based on project cash flow)
- Credit Life Insurance: 1.5% per annum (based on diminishing balance)
- Free Livestock Insurance: Through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation
- Eligible Loan Uses:
- Purchase of cattle stock
- Feeds and veterinary supplies
- Construction of cattle housing
- Cost of labor
- Training & Capacity Building Opportunities Provided By DA-ACPC:
- Business Plan Preparation
- Financial Literacy
- Simple Bookkeeping
- Marketing Strategies
- Sustainable Enterprise Management
- Other relevant technical training
- Borrowers undergo training in:
- Business planning
- Financial literacy
- Simple bookkeeping
- Marketing
- Sustainable enterprise management
5. Pabasa on Wheels
Provider: Provincial Children’s Federation (PCF) of Laguna in partnership with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO)
Pabasa on Wheels is a mobile reading program launched in Laguna to support out-of-school youth by enhancing their literacy skills. The initiative brings reading sessions and learning materials directly to various barangays in Calamba City. It also serves as a platform for student volunteers to engage with fellow youth and bridge the educational gap worsened by the pandemic.
Purpose: To improve literacy among out-of-school children and provide them with accessible reading resources and support through community-based outreach.
Features and Benefits:
- Mobile reading sessions conducted in different barangays
- Free distribution of learning and reading materials
- Peer-to-peer teaching by student volunteers
- Promotes youth engagement and participation in education-related initiatives
- Offers a safe space for youth to share concerns through consultations with PSWDO and LGUs
- Addresses barriers to education such as poverty, malnutrition, and limited access to schools
- Supports community literacy development during and after the pandemic
6. Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES)
Provider: Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
The Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) is DOLE’s youth employment-bridging initiative designed to provide temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth (OSY), and dependents of displaced workers. The program typically runs during summer or Christmas vacation, or anytime of the year, to help augment the family income. SPES enables beneficiaries to earn while continuing their education, reducing their financial burden.
Purpose: To help underprivileged youth pursue education by giving them opportunities for temporary employment, thus easing the financial difficulties faced by their families.
Features and benefits:
- Open to youth aged 15-30 years old
- Targets students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers
- Income-based eligibility aligned with the regional poverty threshold
- Students must have a passing average in their last school term
- Beneficiaries receive a stipend: 60% from LGU/private employer and 40% from DOLE
- Employment is available during school breaks or throughout the year
- Offers work in local government units and private companies (e.g., fast food chains)
- Provides professional work experience and skills development
- Helps build work ethics, communication skills, and personal growth
- Enables students to support their own educational and family needs
- Thousands of youth beneficiaries nationwide (e.g., 10,027 in Zamboanga Peninsula; 3,706 in Region 1)
7. Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) and Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES)
Provider: Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
The TWSP-SPES is a joint initiative between TESDA and DOLE designed to provide technical-vocational training to out-of-school youth across the Philippines. The program recently celebrated the graduation of 165 learners, with 133 now certified as TESDA Specialistas and ready for employment. The program includes training, job fairs, and support for technopreneurship to help youth transition from learning to earning.
Purpose: To equip out-of-school youth from impoverished areas with technical skills and employment opportunities through accessible training and job placement programs.
Features and benefits:
- Free access to technical-vocational training under TWSP
- Financial support through DOLE’s SPES
- Job placement opportunities via Jobs Bridging fairs
- TESDA Specialista certification to boost employability
- Support for entrepreneurial ventures through the TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program
- Targeted support for youth from 300–400 of the country’s poorest municipalities
- Opportunities for local and overseas employment
- Formation of community-based service groups for self-employment and enterprise creation
8. Equal Employment Opportunities for the Out-of-School Youth (OSY)
Provider: Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Informatics
TESDA partnered with PEZA and Informatics to deliver free IT-related training to 300 female out-of-school youths (OSYs) in Mactan, Cebu. The project focuses on developing competence and employability in the Information Technology (IT) sector through specialized skills training. The collaboration is backed by a P1.2 million budget, with equal contributions from PEZA and TESDA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).
Purpose: To equip female OSYs with IT and customer service skills that increase their chances of employment, especially in the PEZA-registered IT enterprises and other companies within the economic zone.
Features and benefits:
- Free training on:
- Computer Hardware Servicing NC II
- Finishing Course for Call Center Agents NC II
- Total funding of P1.2 million (P600,000 each from TESDA and PEZA)
- P4,000 budget allocated per trainee
- Access to computer facilities and training equipment via Informatics
- Trainee identification and selection by PEZA from barangays near Mactan Economic Zone
- TESDA-issued National Certificates upon course completion
- Job referrals to PEZA-registered IT companies for potential employment
Video: Group Seeks to Help Out-of-school Youth to Continue Education
OSYs represent a big part of the population with untapped potential. When young people are left without education, jobs, or training, they become more vulnerable to poverty, crime, and long-term unemployment. By supporting OSYs, the government hopes to change not just one life—but to also help build stronger families, safer communities, and a better future for everyone. With the assistance programs specifically for OSYs, both the public and private sector hope to address the specific needs of OSYs in order to help them catch up and move forward. These initiatives exist to give OSYs a second chance, and by learning more about them through government websites, local barangay offices, schools, or NGOs, we can spread awareness, refer someone who needs help, or even get involved ourselves. Learn more about how some groups help OSYs do better in life by watching this video below: