ILOILO – To uplift the province’s indigenous youth, the Iloilo provincial government inaugurated a new teen center in Dueñas town on Aug. 4, specifically designed to support the psychosocial and educational development of students from the Panay Bukidnon tribe.
Located within Cabudian National High School, the newly opened DOMINA (Dueñas Organization of Motivational Initiatives in Nurturing Adolescents) Satellite Teen Center 2.0 will benefit 329 students, half of whom are members of the indigenous peoples (IP) community from neighboring upland municipalities of Calinog and Lambunao. The facility is part of the broader Teen Center 2.0 initiative led by the Provincial Population Office (PPO) and is the fourth completed under the project.
“The facility provides a safe space for students to discuss their feelings, share experiences regarding crushes or family matters, and seek guidance from coordinators and trained peer helpers,” said Assistant School Principal II Marilyn Jison. “Through this initiative, we nurture a culture of love, understanding, and compassion, empowering our youth to connect with one another and their community.”
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., who led the inauguration, stressed the importance of youth-oriented spaces beyond the classroom.
“Not everything about your social life is addressed inside the classroom. That is why we have this teen center, which aims to support your psychosocial well-being. This building is yours, and you should embrace it as a space for growth and personal development,” the governor told the students.
The event was attended by Vice Gov. Lee Ann Debuque, Dueñas Mayor Robert Martin Palma, PPO chief Atty. Ruel Von Superio, Board Members Rolando Distura and Dominic Paul Oso, and Dr. Jerson Labos, assistant schools division superintendent.
Population Program Officer Jemar Harold Jison noted that Cabudian National High School also offers an IP Education (IP Ed) program, which will soon be integrated into the center’s activities.
The DOMINA Teen Center extends its services to adolescents from Barangays Cabudian, Bagongbong, Jaguimit, Pader, Sawe, and Batuan in Dueñas, as well as from Barangays Dalid, Gama Grande, Gama Pequeno, and Tahing in Calinog.
Jison emphasized the center’s value to students: “This is a haven and a space for learners to express themselves.”
The facility in Dueñas joins other newly built Teen Center 2.0 buildings at Nicomedes R. Tubar Sr. National High School in San Dionisio, Cabalic National High School in Balasan, and Alberto Sorongon Sr. Memorial National High School in Pototan — with more centers underway across Iloilo as part of the province’s commitment to holistic youth development./PN
