Talisay City opens youth center

CEBU, Philippines - The out-of-school organization of Talisay City, Pag-asa Youth Association (PYA), yesterday celebrated its second founding anniversary that was highlighted by the opening of the youth center and products and services booths at the city’s sports complex in Barangay Poblacion.

Department of Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera, assisted by Mayor Socrates Fernandez, personally cut the ribbon of the center, where the city’s more than 1,000 out-of-school youth or what they preferred to be called “community youth,” can have their own office. Because of the building’s proximity to the entrance of the sports complex, the city’s young people could also use it to sell products and various services.

It was a whole day celebration opened by a thanksgiving Mass, and then a caravan with street dancing, participated by the youth members themselves.

Cabrera, in her speech, described the atmosphere of the event, which was attended by more than 1,000 members from the city’s 22 barangays, and even those from other local governments like Naga, Lapu-lapu City, Carmen, Danao and Minglanilla as “very encouraging” and “inspiring.”

Encouraged by the youth’s activeness and dedication to their organization, Cabrera highlighted her visit by awarding to nine of the PYA-Talisay City chapter members jobs, “to help them and their families withstand the global financial crisis.”

In an interview with the media, Cabrera explained that the hiring of these nine young people was an implementation of the DSWD’s Youth National Service program, as per order of President Gloria Arroyo.

Cabrera explained that the core strategy of the YNS program is “to mobilize the youth to assist in the implementation of social welfare and development programs and services in the communities with the intention of promoting social responsibility, encouraging volunteerism and involvement and recognizing their contribution in nation building as well as providing them modest stipend to cope with the current challenges.”

In the Central Visayas, 50 PYA deserving members were chosen for the project, 25 of them are from Cebu, from which nine are Talisaynons.

Each will get P250 per day for the next two years. But Cabrera said the contract may be revoked if the hired youth is not performing his/her task well, to give way to those who are waiting.

Talisay City social welfare and development officer Felipa Solana said apart from the NYS program, the city is also giving contractual employment to its community youth like the summer job program, in which not only students but also community youths have availed of the program. — Liv G. Campo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)