Why We are Building the Youth Complex
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In our quest to enlist support in advancing our mission, specifically, the construction of the Youth Complex, we
have encountered questions (from interested pasties, pundits and detractors) why we are doing this
considering the enormous required investment. Why don’t we just use the money and build toilets and install
potable water systems in every public school, and send more scholars to post-secondary education? These
are legitimate and note-worthy suggestions.
Countless San Migueleños and organizations before us and ours, e.g., alumni associations of San Miguel High
School, have sponsored projects similar to our BAT (Build-a-Toilet) and scholarship projects. Yet, none
provided the plurality of benefits that will be the catalyst that we aim for. The Youth Complex is just the
cornerstone of our envisioned conduit that will establish a productive network of individuals who are willing to
give/help and the youth of our town. It is structured to provide an improved growing environment for the young
San Migueleño, that is at par with, if not better than, what the rest of Bulacan can offer. Thus, the BAT and
scholarship projects are integral parts of the overall plan, but the only way we can assure continuity of efforts
and derive maximized benefits is by building the Youth Complex. This is the greater and noble vision behind
this project.
The Present Realities
Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Buencamino are two of the country’s premier composers/musicians. Narcisa
“Doña Sisang” de Leon was the tireless matriarch of LVN Films during the Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.
Virgilio Almario, better known by his pen name, Rio Alma, is a National Artist for Literature. Prolific
composer/arranger Ryan Cayabyab, classical pianist extraordinaire Cecile Licad, and a host of other noted
contemporary Filipino artists trace their roots to San Miguel. Numerous San Migueleñas had played for the
Philippine Blu-Girls softball squad, which once reigned supreme in Asia. San Miguel schools were prominent
fixtures in provincial, regional and national academic, journalism, musical and athletic competitions in the 70’s
and 80’s. Those were the good old days.
Despite its rich heritage, San Miguel is a cultural desert. The continuously-diminishing school resources have
given way to leaner, but basal, school curricula, thereby, sacrificing extra-curricular pursuits for expression of
students’ talents and creative energies. School areas for athletic facilities had given way for more classrooms
because of the ever-growing student population. Whatever remained of these athletic facilities have fallen
victims to bureaucratic and institutionalized neglect. This decline is not limited to the schools. There were
several independent rondalla groups in the 70s and 80s. Now, I am not sure if one exists.
There are very limited recreational options for the younger generations of San Migueleños. We believe that this
contributes to drug addiction, under-age drinking and smoking, and petty crimes.
Conventional libraries are very expensive to keep current. This results to dated information being made
available to anyone who is doing a research.
Internet access in San Miguel is at a premium and is not available to all baranggays. Children who are fortunate
enough to have their own PCs have become prisoners of these boxes. It should be the other way around.
These PCs should empower the children by providing a broader learning perspective.
There are school projects that require PCs. If the students cannot finish these projects in school, they are forced
to rent PCs at astronomical rates, further stressing the delicate education budget parents set aside for their
children.
Location, Location, Location
The Youth Complex will be built on a 1,900-square-meter-lot, near Villa Magdalena in Poblacion, and behind
the San Vicente Chapel. It is about 300 meters from San Miguel Elementary School (aka Central). This makes
it very accessible.
The Amenities
The Youth Complex is envisioned to be the techo-cultural-recreation hub for the San Migueleño youth. It will
include a Multipurpose Hall, an Online Research Center and a Recreational Center.
The Multipurpose Hall is intended to be The Venue for youth-oriented assemblies, seminars and workshops,
and a performance and exhibition space to showcase the talents of the San Migueleño youth and to promote
cultural/heritage awareness (through thematic exhibits, e.g., life and works of Nicanor Abelardo, etc.). Possible
activities to be conducted are literary workshops (creative writing, free-style poetry, Balagtasan
methodologies), art workshops (sketching using pencil, charcoal, pastels; painting using watercolor) with
SMdM-CUSA-supplied materials, and dance (native, ballroom and contemporary) workshops. It will host art
exhibits, recitals and other performances, and productivity seminars. It can also accommodate small stage
plays and academic competitions.
A small section of the Multipurpose Hall will be permanently allocated to the Teacher Resource Center. In
here, teachers will learn to soar past the limitations imposed by huge class sizes, insufficient student learning
materials, and conventional, but traditionally low-yield teaching methodologies. Seminars and workshops will
be conducted by nationally-renowned experts. Publications on alternative teaching methods, classroom
projects, etc., will be available to teachers. Online PCs are also available to teachers researching to further
improve their students' learning experience.
The Online Research Center will provide free use of PCs with broadband internet access for student
research and free use of non-internet-connected PCs for student projects. Free classes on PC basics, and
safe and effective online searches will be conducted. It will also be an enrichment venue for interested schools
with motivated and talented students.
People have asked why not just donate PCs to schools. We have three arguments against this. First, internet
service is not available to all baranggays. Second, security of the donated hardware is a concern. Third, we
cannot ensure that the actual users are the students, and not the school administrators/teachers.
The Recreational Center will provide multiple sports facilities, i.e., a tennis court, basketball courts, and
several ping pong tables. SMdM CUSA will supply all the sport equipment. Free clinics will be conducted
based on the availability of experts. Athletes bound for the provincial or regional meets may be housed here
(instead of the San Miguel Elementary School or San Miguel High School classrooms) while pursuing the
prerequisite training and attending classes at the same time.