Tagbilaran City inaugurates Teen Center
The City Government of Tagbilaran marked another milestone in youth development with the official signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and the inauguration of the Tagbilaran City Teen Center on April 26, 2025.
The center is strategically located right across the Tagbilaran City Primary Care Facility (TCPF), ensuring accessibility to services and programs aimed at supporting the city’s young population.
The MOA between the Commission on Population and Development Region 7 (CPD 7) and the City Government of Tagbilaran formalizes a partnership that aims to promote adolescent health and development through the creation of a dedicated Teen Center— a safe, inclusive, and supportive space where adolescents can feel they are heard, valued, and guided.
Under the agreement, the City Government of Tagbilaran commits to providing, renovating, and maintaining the physical facility, including assigning personnel and providing necessary resources. Meanwhile, CPD 7 will offer technical assistance, conduct trainings, seminars, and regular monitoring, ensuring that the program aligns with the principles of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act.
The MOA was signed by Mayor Jane Yap and Atty. Bruce Ragas, Regional Director of CPD 7 and witnessed by Ms. Archel Lea Jayme, Information Officer II and Adolescent Health and Development Focal Person of POPCOM R7, Dr. Bryan Virtusio, Medical Officer III of TCPF.
The newly inaugurated Teen Center is equipped with a mini library, learning materials, board games, and recreational and educational areas where young people can spend their time productively. It also houses trained peer counselors and teen volunteers who are available to listen and provide emotional support fellow youth in need.
Mayor Jane Yap, the youngest and first female mayor of Tagbilaran City, led the ceremony and emphasized the importance of investing in young people.
“As a young leader myself, I know how important it is to invest in our youth. They are the strength and future of Tagbilaran,” Mayor Yap said during her remarks.
The Teen Center is part of the city’s comprehensive strategy to promote adolescent health, mental well-being, and youth engagement.
Through this initiative, the City Government aims to provide more opportunities for young people to grow in a healthy and nurturing environment.
With the establishment of the Tagbilaran City Teen Center, the local government reaffirms its strong commitment to uplifting the voices of the youth and ensuring that they are empowered, protected, and supported in every stage of their development.
Photo shows (from L-R): Dr. Bryan Virtucio of Tagbilaran City Primary Care Facility, Mayor Jane Yap, City POPCOM In-charge Marjorie Torculas, CPD 7 Regional Director Atty. Bruce Ragas, POPCOM R7 Information Officer Archel Lea Jayme, and SK Federated President Marcel Mae Adiong lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Tagbilaran City Teen Center on April 26, 2025. The new facility showcases the city’s commitment to adolescent health, youth empowerment, and inclusive community development. (Contributed photo)
Tagbilaran City welcomes new businesses
Tagbilaran City’s business sector continues to thrive with the recent opening of three new establishments that contribute to the city’s growing landscape of commercial and service enterprises.
City Mayor Jane Yap, city officials and business stakeholders gathered to witness the blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Petron Gasoline Station in Barangay Mansasa, the blessing of the newly constructed St. Peter Chapels & Crematorium in Barangay Taloto, and the Rocky Vitor Hair and Make Up Studio at F. Torralba St. on May 28, 2025.
The opening of Petron Mansasa provides an additional fuel service hub for motorists, improving accessibility, convenience, and economic activity along one of Tagbilaran’s major thoroughfares.
Meanwhile, the establishment of St. Peter Chapels and Crematorium offers modern chapel services and cremation options, providing Tagbilaranons with an accessible place to honor loved ones while the Rocky Vitor Hair and Make Up Studio offers beauty hair styling, professional make up artistry and personalized beauty services.
These developments underscore the city’s well-earned recognitions, including being awarded as the 2023 Most Business-Friendly City (Component City Category) by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
Tagbilaran was also named a Hall of Fame Awardee, an honor conferred after winning the prestigious title three times in the past five years.
The City also earned a commendation from the Anti-Red Tape Authority for establishing a fully digitalized and streamlined electronic Business One-Stop Shop which provides convenience for business transactions in the city.
The City Government of Tagbilaran, under the leadership of Mayor Yap, continues to fully support the expansion of local businesses and investment opportunities throughout the city. These developments align with the city’s sustained efforts to create a dynamic, resilient, and business-friendly environment.
Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap and Congressman-elect John Geesnell “Baba” Yap II pose for a photo during the blessing of Petron Mansasa on May 28, 2025. The new fuel station reflects Tagbilaran City’s business-friendly environment and ongoing efforts to draw investments that boost local economic growth. (Contributed photo)
Tagbilaran holds multi-sectoral consultation for 2026 AIP
The City Government of Tagbilaran convened key stakeholders in a multi-sectoral Consultation and Workshop for the 2026 Annual Investment Program (AIP) held at JJ’s Seafood Village, Tagbilaran City, on May 27, 2025, bringing together Tagbilaranons to shape the city’s development priorities for the coming year.
Attended by city government officials, department and office heads, barangay captains, and civil society organizations (CSOs), the consultation focused on aligning the city’s programs and projects with actual community needs—emphasizing inclusive and participatory planning.
Before the actual workshop, inputs were provided by speakers led by City Budget Officer Marysol Perocho who emphasized the importance of aligning development goals with sound and proper planning and budgetary frameworks.
Technical presentations followed from Engr. Rickie Deo Dalida of the Provincial Planning and Development Office, on provincial development thrusts, Engr. Aimee Divino of the Department of Public Work on Highways First Engineering District regarding infrastructure priorities and Forester Junrin Macua of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources-CENRO Tagbilaran on environmental management.
Engr. Estella Margate, Officer-In-Charge of the City Planning and Development Office, presented the urban development plan and guided participants through the workshop mechanics. Breakout sessions allowed for collaborative identification of project proposals across multiple development sectors
City Mayor Jane Yap, in a statement, underscored the importance of inclusive governance. “This consultation is not just about planning; it is about listening. When we listen to our departments, our barangays, and our civil society groups, we create a government that is truly responsive. Transparency, collaboration, and accountability has always been at the heart of the Yap-Jala administration,” she said.
Known as the youngest and first female mayor of the city, Mayor Yap’s administration is marked by transparency, consultative governance, and genuine responsiveness to community concerns, strengthening Tagbilaran’s reputation as a model of participatory local governance.
The AIP Consultation/Workshop is a crucial step in the city’s budgeting cycle, contributing directly to the Local Development Investment Plan and Executive-Legislative Agenda.
Through it, Tagbilaran reaffirms its commitment to building a city where every voice counts and development is shaped by the people it serves.
In photo are Department heads of the City Government of Tagbilaran and representatives from civil society organizations engage in focused discussions during the Multi-Sectoral Consultation and Workshop for the 2026 Annual Investment Program on May 27, 2025. The session underscores the city’s commitment to participatory governance, aligning programs, projects, and activities with community needs and priorities. (Contributed photo)