19/08/2025
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ'๐ฌ ๐
๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
The youth of Naga took center stage as Hon. Jefson Romeo Biando Felix delivered the cityโs first-ever State of the Youth Address (SOYA), a pioneering event that challenged young Nagueรฑos to move from โmere observers to major actorsโ in shaping their communityโs future.
The event, held at the Naga City Hall and supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), highlighted the urgent issues faced by young people in education, health, employment, and inclusion, while also celebrating programs that empower them to take action.
Felix underscored that โeducation is the greatest investment for Nagaโs future,โ but financial barriers such as transport fares, meals, and project costs continue to weigh heavily on low-income families. Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs have reached more than 1,000 learners, yet many still lack skills training for future employment.
To address this, the city has expanded scholarships like Sokoto para sa Naga, a medical scholarship program that covers full tuition and provides a monthly stipend. Employment opportunities through DOLEโs TUPAD and student work programs have also helped thousands of Nagueรฑo youth gain skills and short-term income.
SOYA also tackled critical health issues. Naga recorded 90 cases of teenage pregnancy this year among girls aged 19 and below, while 154 new HIV cases were confirmed from January to July 2025. Felix urged young people to dismantle stigma and embrace testing as responsibility, not weakness.
On mental health, nearly one-third of consultations came from youth aged 15โ30, with depression, psychosis, and substance abuse as top concerns. The city has since institutionalized its Mental Health Program, offering consultations, psychosocial support, and referrals.
While overall crimes decreased, cases involving children in conflict with the law remain, particularly in Concepcion Pequeรฑa. Programs like Project Dalan focus on protecting childrenโs dignity while strengthening youth involvement in disaster preparedness and peacebuilding.
Felix also emphasized inclusivity, noting that over 1,700 young persons with disabilities live in Naga. He urged that accessibility and leadership opportunities be extended to them, saying, โDisability does not mean inability. They can also contribute and inspire.โ
With climate challenges and food security concerns, youth councils launched programs like Tanim Kaalaman and the Forest in Our Midst to promote sustainable urban gardening and reframe agriculture as a modern, viable path for the next generation.
Felix closed the address with a call to action, reminding the cityโs 47,000 registered youth voters that they hold the power to shape Nagaโs future.
โThe youth are not just leaders of tomorrow, but active architects of the present,โ he declared. โWhat we are building in Naga is bigger than ourselves. As Mayor Leni Robredo once said, if it can be done in Naga City, it can be done everywhere.โ
l Gil Brian P. Cleofe/ The Pantograph x Malaya
