ILOILO – The provincial government, through the Provincial Population Office (PPO), will establish a P5-million Family and Youth Development Center in New Lucena town to serve as a venue for various programs and activities for families and youth.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the two-story facility was held on February 14.
According to PPO head Atty. Ruel Von Superio, the development center is a step in creating a permanent and functional infrastructure to support population and development programs for families and youth, particularly in New Lucena.
The center will serve as a venue for:
* pre-marriage orientation and counseling sessions
* youth training programs
* population and development activities
* office for the Provincial Population Program Officer
* office for the Barangay Service Point Officer
* Local Youth Development Office (on the second floor, allocated to the New Lucena local government)
* office for the Sangguniang Kabataan
“We aim to strengthen our network and intensify our collaborative efforts in addressing identified gaps and promoting the development, welfare, and empowerment of families and youth, not only in New Lucena but across the Province of Iloilo,” said Superio.
The establishment of the center is also expected to help New Lucena qualify for the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) Award from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), as one of the criteria is having a functional Local Population Office, a Designated Population Officer, and a fully operational Local Youth Development Office.
The project has already identified eight pilot LGUs as recipients, including Igbaras, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, Calinog, Lambunao, Passi City, Sara, and San Dionisio. An initial budget of P40 million from the PPO and the Office of the Governor has been allocated, with P5 million earmarked for each recipient municipality./PN
