By Rhea Grace A. La Plana
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – The
United States Agency for International Development John Hopkins (USAID JH)Piego–
Mindanao Health,in cooperation with the Department of Health-9 and the
Commission on Population-9 conducted a Training Workshop for Youth
Advocates on Adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights at Casa Mea Hotel here
on Sept. 28-30.
Adolescence is the stage when teens go
through a lot of changes physically and experience emotional and mental
adjustments. This is a critical stage wherein young minds are exposed to the
realities in life, and need the guidance of parents, teachers and elders in
making the right decisions.
Global investment in adolescent health has
been scarce despite its importance and significant impact on returns in
individual well-being and national progress in the past.
For this reason, USAID JH Piego – Mindanao
Health launched series of trainings in Zamboanga Peninsula with the ultimate
purpose of equipping the youth with established dispositions to gain chances at
leading productive lives in adulthood.
“Teenage pregnancy and drug
addiction have relatively increased in the past threeyears in this province,”
Ms. Cecille A. La Plana, Area Administrative Officer of USAID JH Piego –
Mindanao Health said.The training provided essential knowledge to encourage the
teens to set priorities in life, focus on their studies and get involved in
productive undertakings.
At an early age, making wrong decisions may
bring about unwanted teenage pregnancies, drug addiction and other teenage
problems that can totally crash their youthful dreams and goals.
Mr. Eryl Jove D. Jocson of DepEd Ipil
facilitated the invitation of participating schools and teen representatives to
attend the 3-day workshop for 10 guidance counselors and 30 young teen students
from various public and private schools in Ipil, Imelda, Talusan, Tungawan, Diplahan
and RT Lim.
A registered nurse from Ateneo de
Zamboanga, Mr. ArvieArcilla articulated that the role of each teen is indeed very
important in sharpening their minds and shaping their own future.
Ms. Maria Rosalinda K. Fernando,
Information Officer of PopCom R9 explicitly emphasized to the youth that they
are the ones shaping their own career paths, so they need to have the right
thinking and be guided to reacha right decision.
Such training indeed provided the right
venue to capacitate the guidance counselors with techniques and skills to
enable them to become effective moderators of the youth.
