The characteristic trait of the mission to which the Lord called St. John Bosco was dedication to young people, especially the less fortunate. Without these poor young people, Don Bosco and his Salesians would be unrecognizable.

The Salesian Southern Philippine Province continues to respond to the needs of the young also in the area of games and recreation through eight of its youth centers. These centers are characterized by their explosive and noisy recreations; spontaneous outburst of energy and vitality that express the youth’s zest for life.

Fun and games occupy a privileged place in Don Bosco’s educative method. He gave it a pedagogical slant elevating it into a spirituality that coincided with sanctity. Dominic Savio expressed it insightfully to his friend, Camillo Gavio “here we make holiness consists in being cheerful.”

Don Bosco Youth Centers are more than just places for recreation. They are characterized by total participation in the life of the youth through sports, religious, cultural and service-oriented activities and a comprehensive growth-program that is always creative and youth-friendly.

These Centers play an instrumental role in meeting the developmental needs of youth by keeping them off the streets removing potential anti-social behaviors like drug use and violent crime. Instead programs are designed to divert them into positive activities that increase their sense of belongingness, instill a sense of usefulness and competence to achieve their potentials and enhance their self-esteem.

The assistance of lay people helps the Centers to continually adapt to the changing requirements of the young. The valuable presence of volunteers as well as the sharing of time and resources of benefactors and sponsors enable these non-profit centers to operate systematically and help sustain the running of activities and programs requiring continuous financial support.