By Mariela Angella Oladive
The Nicos KaTEENLingban Teen Center 2.0 officially opened on January 16, offering upgraded facilities and programs to support the 1,781 students of Nicomedes R. Tubar Sr. National High School in San Dionisio, Iloilo.
Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. led the inauguration, marking the completion of the youth-friendly center designed to enhance teenagers’ psychosocial and overall development.
The Teen Center 2.0 is part of the Iloilo provincial government’s initiative to create a comprehensive environment for youth growth and development.
Unlike its predecessor, which focused primarily on providing equipment to school-based centers, this upgraded facility offers a variety of recreational, social, and developmental programs aimed at nurturing students’ physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being.
Defensor emphasized the importance of supporting students beyond academics, describing the center as an extension of their homes.
“Your Iloilo provincial government is not only interested in your education but also in the development of your social life as part of youth development,” Defensor said.
The Nicos KaTEENLingban Teen Center 2.0 is the first completed project under the Teen Center 2.0 initiative, which seeks to enhance school-based youth programs across Iloilo.
Eleven schools were selected as pilot recipients of the project, with five centers, including the one in San Dionisio, now completed. The remaining six are still under construction.
Atty. Ruel Von Superio, head of the Iloilo Provincial Population Office (PPO), explained that the initiative aligns with Governor Defensor’s development mantra, MoRProGRes Iloilo, or the Movement for a Robust, Progressive, Globally Competitive, and Resilient Province of Iloilo.
“This youth development initiative aims to create an enabling environment for young people to develop their social, ethical, physical, emotional, and cognitive competencies,” Superio said.
The upgraded facility is expected to equip students with tools and support to thrive in various areas of life, fostering their growth into well-rounded and globally competitive individuals.
