ILOILO, (PNA) — Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. opened Wednesday a teen center, the 15th in the entire province, in Felix Sera National High School in San Joaquin.
The centers was in fulfillment of the governor’s promise to build 15 teen centers by 2013 in support to the development and reformation of thousands of youth in this province.
Of the 15 teen centers, five were built this year. The other five opened last year and the rest have been operational since 2010.
Earlier this year, Defensor also led the inauguration of the same facility in Sta. Barbara National Comprehensive High School and Banate National High School.
Those in Janiuay National Comprehensive High School and Cawayan National High School in Carles await formal launching.
The other school-based multi-purpose teen centers were in Igbaras National High School in Igbaras; Leonora S. Salapantan National High School in San Miguel; Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School in Cabatuan; Dumangas National High School in Dumangas; Sara National High School in Sara; Rufino J. Palabrica Sr. Memorial National High School in Dingle; Pavia National High School in Pavia; Nicomedes Tubar Sr. Memorial National High School in San Dionisio; Lambunao National High School in Lambunao; and Oton National High School in Oton.
The first five teen centers cost P200,000 each while the succeeding projects cost P300,000 each, or a total of P4 million.
The budget was spent mostly for the procurement of equipment like computers and information and education campaign materials relative to reproductive health, risk of drug abuse, among others.
Some of the local government units concerned like San Joaquin allocated additional P200,000 for the construction of new building in the host school.
These teen centers are venues where the youth could learn and have fun at the same time, the governor said.
It could also be used for training peer counselors tasked to influence their fellow youth not to engage in risky sexual and non-sexual behaviors.