- Do you want a place where you can learn karatedo, taekwando, and boxing for FREE?
- Do you want FREE aerobic lessons?
- Are you in need of FREE seminar rooms?
If you answered YES to any of the questions above, then I strongly recommend that you visit the San Pedro Aktibo Youth & Sport Center. A project of Mayor Calixto Cataquiz & the Sangguniang Bayan, this facility offers FREE use of all boxing ring equipments, table tennis, badminton courts, darts, chess and seminar areas to all residents of San Pedro and their friends. Locals can also take advantage of the FREE taekwondo, karate, and aerobics lessons conducted by certified sports trainors.
The youth center is open from 8AM to 8PM although you can arrive earlier and just look for the building administrator to gain entrance.
The San Pedronian's Experience
I visited the San Pedro Aktibo Youth & Sport Center during the holidays. As expected it, was closed for the duration but the youth center's building administrator, Mr. Omar Pactanac, was there to show me around the facilities and give me a run down of the local response to the youth center and what it has accomplished so far.
My first impression of the place was this: it's big! According to Kuya Omar, the place used to be a public market but it didn't do well as it should so the owners closed it down and then the local government rented the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building for the youth center. The lease is good for only two years and the administrators of the center are now looking for an alternative.
Next impression: it's bare. Aside from the equipment needed for the lessons being taught, there aren't really any facilities. This is because the youth center is 100% FREE. Yes, you won't pay anything to use the facilities. All you have to do is attend the events and schedule the time and date that you would like to use the facilities. Even the ID is FREE. Just bring your 2x2 ID picture so you can get your ID.
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| Badminton area |
Kuya Omar related an interesting story. There was once a badminton instructor who brought his students from a nearby school to learn badminton in the youth center. They allowed him because he said he was teaching the students for FREE. Then it turned out that the clever badminton instructor charges 40 pesos per student per session. They had to ask the badminton instructor to stop coming to the youth center.
Programs and Services
At the moment, there are regular karatedo, taekwando, boxing, and aerobic lessons in the San Pedro Aktibo Youth & Sport Center. These are 100% FREE and are taught by qualified instructors. Jimmy Cataquiz teaches boxing while Ian Frank Garcia conducts karatedo lessons. Rico Andres teaches aerobics.
Here are the schedule of regular classes:
Karatedo
Friday: 6PM to 8PM
Saturday: 1PM to 4PM
Sunday: 9AM to 12NN
Taekwondo
Thursday: 6PM to 8PM
Saturday: 4:30PM to 7:30PM
Sunday: 4PM to 7PM
Aerobics
Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 8:30AM to 10AM
Boxing
Monday to Fridays: 2PM to 4PM
There are also special classes being held at the Youth Center for limited time. In 2010, there was a FREE Chess Clinic conducted by Mr. Joseph E.Ballecer, a chess varsity player for the College of Saint Benilde in Taft, Manila. This is his way of giving back to the community since he is a scholar. A true San Pedronian!
For this year, Kuya Omar reveals that they are in the midst of setting up a FREE arnis classes. Hopefully, this will be launched this month, January. If this pushes through, expect to hear the details here in The San Pedronian.
If you also need space for seminars, meetings, parties or any other gatherings, the youth center has a seminar room that you can use. All you need to do is submit a request letter a month before your scheduled event so they can make the necessary arrangements. A word of caution: if you are conducting a PAID seminar, forget about it. Since it is free to use to the facilities, your events must also be FREE.
By the way, the youth center offers FREE WiFI access. So, if ever you find yourself of need of a place to hang out or work, bring your laptop to the center, settle in some nook, and do your online thing from there. I might just do that as soon as I get my laptop back just to observe how the daily activities.
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| Train as a boxer with Jimmy Cataquiz |
San Pedro Aktibo Youth & Sport Center Needs You!
If you are an expert on any sport or any activity that involves physical activity, e.g. yoga, chess, dance, then you can volunteer your services at the youth center. They are looking for trainors and instructors who are willing to share their knowledge and passion to children who can't afford to enroll in sport classes. I am considering of holding a free seminar for mothers who would like to work at home as virtual assistants by the 2nd quarter of this year.
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| Are you good at table tennis? Why not volunteer as an instructor! |
How to get there
This youth center is located in La Martina Plaza in Brgy. San Vicente, beside the Total Gas Station and the under-construction Saint Louis Anne Colleges campus. To get there, ride one of the jeepneys going to Brgy. Langgam. There are jeepney terminals in front of Dina's boutique and beside HBC along the hi-way.
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| Front view of La Martina Plaza |
For more information about San Pedro Aktibo Youth & Sport Center, look it up on Facebook and check out photos, discussions, videos, and wall posts by its fans. If you would have any questions, you can also contact Kuya Omar at 0927-781-8822.
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