Eight pilot areas for teen centers

THE Davao City Health Office (CHO) said there are eight pilot areas in the city for the teen centers that will help in providing appropriate information and services on sexuality and reproductive health to address pressing problems concerning the youth.

Chief of the Population Division of CHO Jeff Fuentes said these centers are functional and ready to cater to the needs of adolescents through giving them the right information on youth-related sexuality issues.

These teen centers are located in areas of Sasa, Erico T. Nograles National High School, Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, Doña Carmem in Toril, Bayabas in Toril, 21-C, Mintal and in Buhangin.

“In Davao City, eight (areas were) piloted sa laki kasi ng siyudad natin, kailangan din nating tignan. We are piloting it sa eight pilot areas para makita natin kung ano ang impact nito because if the impact is good, then we will scale it up but if it is not working and then we have a lot of investments, then we have to rethink for other strategies,” Fuentes said.

In each teen center, there are assigned personnel who are manning it in case there are teens who will seek for their assistance. From there, they will also refer these youth to other facilities like the

teen center in Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) or Brokenshire Hospital Integrated Health Ministries, Inc. for medication.

“We have that service delivery network that we refer adolescent from our piloted areas to the hospital that also have teen centers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Population Commission regional director Bai Agnes Duruin Sampulna said that there were around 180 teen centers that have been established across Davao region located in communities and schools.

They trained peer facilitators who will man the centers to appropriately address the needs of the youth and capacitate them on different stages of teen’s life.

“Meron kaming na-train din na teen facilitators to be their peer leaders so they are adolescents who will be in charge in training and giving information to their peers. Minsan kasi ang mga adolescents hesitant pag may nakikita silang adult gusto nila sa peer nila so doon sila nag oopen,” Sampulna said.

Previously, they signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Education on the establishments of teen centers that will be handled by the guidance counselor who are readily accessible for the youth to express themselves.

Common problems that they target are teens that have begun to engage in early sexual activities, teenage pregnancy and mental health.

“Kung may isang teenager having a sign of pregnancy bibigyan ng advice to seek medical assistance to readily accessible health facility,” she said. JCR