ILOILO — From preventing teenage pregnancies and addressing youth mental health concerns to helping children overcome reading difficulties, the Iloilo Provincial Government is putting two of its flagship programs to the national test as it seeks recognition in the Galing Pook Awards 2026.
The province has fielded Project Tib-ong Kabataan and BES BASA: POC Localization, showcasing how collaborative and data-driven governance is being used to confront two critical challenges — youth well-being and foundational learning.
Project Tib-ong Kabataan underwent validation before the Galing Pook National Selection Committee, headed by Marco Alfino V. Miranda and Monette Montemayor, at the Governor’s Boardroom on Sept. 24.
The province is also presenting BES BASA: POC Localization this weekend as its second entry.
The national validation scrutinizes the programs’ implementation, results and impact, including community participation, innovation, sustainability, resilience, efficiency and potential for replication.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, who led the presentation together with Iloilo Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, said “tib-ong” means to uplift — reflecting the program’s goal of protecting and empowering young Ilonggos.
Project Tib-ong Kabataan focuses on saving lives, preventing adolescent pregnancy, prioritizing youth mental health and providing young people with safe spaces and opportunities to thrive.
“As a team that firmly advocates for evidence-based, data-driven public administration, undergoing this national validation process is already a huge victory and milestone for us. Whether or not we make it to the top national winners, we are deeply grateful, fulfilled, and happy knowing that our hard work directly impacts the lives of our youth,” Banias said.
He described the validation as an opportunity to demonstrate how Iloilo transformed its approach to adolescent health and youth development from a reactive, hospital-centered system into a proactive, data-driven and province-wide ecosystem.
Project Tib-ong Kabataan brings together provincial government offices, health workers, the Department of Education (DepEd)-Iloilo, Sangguniang Kabataan leaders and other partners to address adolescent concerns, particularly teenage pregnancy and mental health, while creating safe spaces and opportunities for young people.
The province’s second entry, BES BASA: POC Localization, targets another pressing concern — children’s reading proficiency.
The program uses a localized Proof of Concept approach involving the provincial government, DepEd-Iloilo, local government units, school leaders, teachers and other partners to strengthen foundational reading skills.
Through the two entries, Iloilo is seeking to demonstrate how people-centered, evidence-based governance can produce measurable results in youth development and children’s education and potentially provide models that can be replicated by other local governments.
Banias thanked the provincial offices, DepEd, health workers, Sangguniang Kabataan leaders and other multi-sectoral partners working on the ground to implement the programs and deliver services to Ilonggos.
Iloilo is no stranger to the Galing Pook Awards.
The province previously earned national recognition for its “Zero to Limpyo Iloilo: Movement for a Province-wide ZOD,” which was named among the Galing Pook awardees in 2023./PN
