ILOILO – Improved versions of the teen center buildings will be built in the towns of Balasan and San Dionisio in the province’s 5th District.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. led the groundbreaking ceremonies at Cabalic National High School in Balasan and Nicomedes R. Tubar Sr. National High School in San Dionisio on Jan. 16.
Each teen center building costs P3.5 million.
The two towns are among the 10 recipients of the school-based multipurpose teen center buildings, which will be constructed by the Iloilo provincial government through the Provincial Population Office (PPO).
The provincial government has allotted P35 million for the construction of 10 teen center buildings – two will be constructed in each district.
Atty. Ruel Von Superio, PPO head, said the facilities are dedicated to providing venues for the youth for their recreational activities as well as personality development and skill enhancement.
It also serves as a sanctuary for the sharing of insights and ideas and a facility to prevent risky sexual and non-sexual behaviors among teenagers.
“The Teen Center 2.0 is a level-up version of our old teen centers, which we will rebrand later — and to be known as the Adolescent Health and Youth Development Centers of the province,” the PPO chief said.
The facility is dedicated to all adolescents and youth by providing them with a venue for:
* recreational programs, projects, and activities,
* personality development and skill enhancement,
* friendship and understanding among their peers and adults,
* a sanctuary for the sharing of insights or ideas in promoting adolescent reproductive health, and
* the avoidance of risky sexual and non-sexual behaviors.
“Sa kina-andan, our teen centers are located in a classroom space designated by the school and are managed by the teen center coordinator or a designated guidance counselor, together with our trained peer helpers,” Superio added.
However, with the growing demand and need for facilities to address issues and concerns among our youth, Superio said Defensor initiated the allocation of budgets under the Provincial School Board to upgrade the teen centers to cater to the needs of the present time.
The improved version of the project consists of the construction of a structure for a teen center building with the following:
* lounge area
* counseling room and activity area
* Guidance Office and Teen Center Coordinator Office,
* a toilet and a pantry
* complete with all the necessary materials, equipment, and facilities.
Meanwhile, Gov. Defensor said the facility will serve as “a home outside our own house” and will cater to all the programs of the province on adolescent health and youth development.
It will also house the Career Guidance and Counseling Program and the Voter’s Education Program, which are the initiatives of Defensor under his Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya (Bes Probins) Program.
“Because we are not only interested in your academics, we are also interested in your social life and in your psychosocial well-being,” he said.
The governor said the provincial government will also maximize its Special Education Program in the construction of classrooms and other infrastructure needs for public schools in the province.
Defensor and Superio were joined by Executive Assistant to Gov. Niel Tupas III, PPO personnel, Balasan mayor Filomeno Ganzon, San Dionisio mayor Darwin Bajada, and the municipal and barangay officials of the two recipient towns during the groundbreaking ceremonies./PN
