Over 3,600 adolescent beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) across the Bicol Region have been equipped with essential life skills through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Youth Development Sessions (YDS) – Volume II, with strong support from Local Government Units (LGUs) amounting to Php3,123,591.90.

Held from September 2024 to March 2025, the YDS engaged a total of 3,646 Grade 8 students from 113 secondary schools in Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur I and II, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon. Of these, 3,243 adolescents, or 88.95%, successfully completed all ten sessions.

The initiative, themed “Embrace and Thrive: Unveiling Your True Potentials,” aims to build adolescents’ resilience, values, and life skills, while addressing common risks such as early pregnancy, substance abuse, peer pressure, and low school retention. The program is rooted in National Advisory Council Resolution No. 34, s. 2016, which institutionalized YDS as a developmental intervention under the 4Ps.

YDS is implemented as an after-school life education track aligned with the goals of the Family Development Sessions (FDS). Tailored for students in Grade 8, the YDS consists of ten interactive modules: Session 1: My YDS Team; Session 2: Positive Qualities About Myself; Session 3: Self-Worth; Session 4: Cultivating My Personal Values; Session 5: Goal Setting; Session 6: Healthy Habits; Session 7: Getting Away from Vices; Session 8: Leisure Can Be Dangerous; Session 9: Media and IT Companion; and Session 10: Appreciating the Uniqueness of a Person. These sessions are designed not only to promote emotional and social well-being but also to prevent risky behaviors such as substance abuse, early pregnancy, and school dropout by guiding adolescents through values formation, decision-making, and critical thinking.

The continued implementation of the YDS in Bicol was made possible through the sustained financial and logistical support of local government units, amounting to Php3.1 million. This annual collaboration ensures the smooth conduct of sessions by covering needs such as training venues, materials, meals, facilitator honoraria, and other operational requirements.

Camarines Sur II provided the highest support with Php1,045,980.00, followed by Masbate with Php857,464.00, and Sorsogon with Php502,010.00. Camarines Sur I contributed Php342,477.50, Catanduanes Php180,700.00, Albay Php145,380.00, and Camarines Norte Php49,580.00.

DSWD lauded the contributions of LGUs and City/Municipal Operations Offices (C/MOO) for their role in implementing the sessions and supporting the facilitators.

Among the provinces, Camarines Norte posted the highest completion rate at 99.54%, followed by Masbate with 98.54%, while Catanduanes had the lowest at 75.54%. In terms of gender, 1,529 males and 1,714 females completed the full YDS cycle.

As of May 2024, DSWD Field Office V monitors 598,618 children aged 6–18 years under the 4Ps, including over 211,000 enrolled in secondary school. This underscores the need for sustained adolescent-focused interventions to help beneficiaries stay in school and avoid developmental risks.

Through continued LGU collaboration and national support, the YDS remains a key platform in building the next generation of responsible, resilient, and empowered youth across the region.