TUMAUINI, Isabela (PIA) - - In time with the celebration of the International Youth Day on Friday, August 12, the Tumauini Municipal Police Station through its advisory council has gathered over 160 youths in the municipality for its first Youth Summit.

With the theme ‘Youth Transformation in Transforming Times’, Major Charles Cariño, chief of police, said the one-day summit aimed to enhance the Tumauini youth's knowledge, skills, leadership abilities, and confidence so that they can engage, socialize and interact with competence within and among the youth, and other sectors in the society.

Cariño added that it also aimed to instill awareness on the importance of mental health among the participants especially now that the Province of Isabela has recorded number of suicide cases in July and early August.

The chief of police added that the activity is part of the Community and Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) Program.

Police Major Florence Roales, chief of NP Section of the Police Regional Office No. 2 (PRO2)discussed about the problems the youths today are facing at the onset of the pandemic, which can caused depression among youths.

Roales emphasized that just like one’s physical health, it is also important for one person to take care of his or her mental health as its risks and protective factors can be found in society at different scales. A short discussion also on teenage pregnancy was shared to the participants.

On the other hand, Police Major Sharon Mallillin, OIC-chief RPIO of PRO2, discussed salient points on social media etiquette while Mark Djeron Tumabao of Philippine Information Agency Region 2 shared that volunteerism can be one of the avenues for youth can productively engaged with.

LGU Intervention 

Municipal Advisory Group for Police Transformation and Development chair Atty. Maricon Carreon expressed her gratitude to the local government unit (LGU) of Tumauini for the usual support to all the activities of the council and the municipal police station.

“The LGU thru Mayor Venus Bautista has been very supportive sa mga activities ng aming council,” Carreon said who shared that the LGU has funded the activity.

Mayor Venus Bautista, for her part, said she didn’t hesitate to positively respond to the request of the council and the PNP as she believes that investing activities for the welfare of the youth is investing for the future of the municipality.

“The LGU cannot do it alone. For us to realize all the goals of the LGU, we need you especially that you are the next leaders of our beloved municipality,” Bautista said.

Vice Mayor Christopher B. Uy, SB Member Sharina Lu T. Bautista-Medrano and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Janica Lae Batang were also present during the activity. (MDCT/PIA Cagayan)