CALAMBA: The Department of Health (DOH) Calabarzon reported the successful establishment of youth centers across the region's 31 congressional districts under its "TEENDig KABATAAN! Kalusugan ay Pahalagahan" project. Dr. Ariel Valencia, DOH Assistant Secretary and concurrent Calabarzon Director, said during Tuesday's "Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas" briefing here that the project aims to tackle prevalent health issues among young people, including teenage pregnancy, mental health and human immunodeficiency virus. The construction of the centers began in March 2023. TEENDig stands for Trustworthy, Engaging, Encouraging, Nurturing, and Dignity, values designed to empower the youth and steer them away from risky behaviors leading to teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, mental health disorders and substance abuse, Valencia explained. Each youth center provides adolescent-friendly services promoting reproductive health, healthy lifestyles, cancer prevention and psycho-social support. "In this projec t, we adopt a peer-to-peer approach, empowering students to advocate for health issues affecting their peers. This bridges the gap in addressing critical health challenges among today's youth," the health official said. Valencia highlighted that the initiative aligns with the Department of Education's (DepEd) Teen Health Kiosk Project, offering students a safe environment to address health concerns and fostering self-awareness as health advocates in their communities. The TEENDig Centers integrate health services and a robust referral system, leveraging schools as on-site health providers. Source: Philippines News Agency