Group raises P80T for youth center

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Archdiocese Commission on Youth raised at least P80,000 after holding a “dinner for a cause” at the Grand Convention Center last Saturday night.

Msgr. Arturo Navales, chairman of the Cebu Archdiocese Commission on Youth, said the event was the latest that they did to raise the P1.3 million deficiency for the construction of the Archdiocesan Youth Center that is worth P3.7 million.

The event was graced by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Emeritus Cardinal Ricardo Vidal who just recently launched a book.

Navales said the youth center is 70 percent done already but they need the P1.3 million at the moment to pay the contractor.

“They’re working on the flooring already. The second floor is already finished. Wa pa’y pintal, but naa na’y divisions,” Navales said, adding that they will then proceed with the interior furnishing.

He said the second floor will serve as expansion of the Archdiocesan Youthlinks Training and Assessment Center. Since 2006, Youthlinks has been offering computer training courses and other technical courses to out-of-school youths in the archdiocese.

“We will open new courses like tourism, baking and courses related to hotel and restaurant management, bartending, housekeeping, etcetera,” Navales said.

The archdiocese plans to have the youth center done by late October.

The amount was collected from more or less 550 guests who attended the dinner for a cause. The guests respectively secured a ticket worth P1,000 and were also able to get a free copy of Vidal’s book, which was priced at P450.

Navales said part of the proceeds of Vidal’s book will also go to their project. Vidal himself, Navales said, insisted on buying his own book to contribute to the fund-raising.

The new center will include function rooms for gatherings, events, weekly confessions, prayer sessions and seminars.

Palma encouraged everybody to help build the youth center.

“We proclaim to our people that the youth are important in our life. They have a very special place in the community and in the Church,” Palma said, acknowledging the youth as the “present and future” of the Church. — (FREEMAN)