LGU Lezo conducts symposium on Pinoy Youth: Making Choices, Building Voices

SHEENA U. REYES

Lezo, Aklan – The Local Government Unit of Lezo spearheaded by Acting Mayor Victor L. Fernandez and Dr. Athena C. Magdamit in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Aklan under the able stewardship of Governor Carlito S. Marquez and the Provincial Population Office headed by Mr. Arturo P. Teodosio, Jr. conducted a symposium on Pinoy Youth: Making Choices, Building Voices at Lezo Institute in Poblacion, Lezo, Aklan last January 25, 2007. It was participated by the third year and fourth year high school students of said school. The speakers were Mr. Arturo P. Teodosio, Jr., Provincial Population Officer wherein he discussed “Philippine Population Management Program and Youth Empowerment” where he cleared out minds of the youths that having engage in such problems like early marriages is not an easy thing to do but it needs to be planned and understand that being married is a serious matter that has bigger responsibilities lie on couples; another speaker was Mrs Debbie F. Villaflor, Nurse VI, STI – Coordinator discussed about “A Wholesome Adolsecent” where she stressed out what deadly diseases can cause if they would engage in premarital sex without even thinking of its effects; and the last speaker was Ms. Ma. Doreen Morata, Nursing Student of St. Gabriel College and she discussed on “Adolescent Reproductive Health Program” where she taught what Reproductive Health and Adolescents really are and its functions on self-developments of adolescents.

The purpose of this symposium was to help youths be sensitive in their environment especially in their physical, mental, emotional and social well-beings; to be aware of what is happening now that involves them; to have adequate knowledge about their sexuality and to make them develop their totality. There were lots of attention-grabbing topics discussed by the speakers that really made them understand if who they really are and what could they really be.

This symposium taught them a lot of vital things that a youth should actually know like what would be the effects to them if they would be involved in such threats like premarital sex, early pregnancies, abortion, drug use and other risky behaviors that could definitely destroy their life and on how these can bring damage on their supposedly good future. It also helped them aware and realize that there are still lots of good things to do that have constructive effects on them instead of doing such risky habits that would just bring them into troubles. This really can help them awaken their minds that there are still plenty of possibilities await them and that it is not yet the end of everything for them to fix things up.

It was indeed an achievement for the LGU Lezo and all the participants especially the youths to have this symposium for it certainly made them fully understand things which are very important for self-development.