The Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region’s (DSWD-NCR) Sanctuary Center observed the annual celebration of United Nations Day on October 30, 2015 with this year’s theme, “Healthy Soils for a Healthy Life.”

Thirty residents wore beautiful and unique outfits and paraded from the center to the Nayon ng Kabataan while waving their flags. There were some 15 residents who also dressed in colorful costumes to represent different countries.

Moreover, aside from the parade of national customes, national anthem of each country were played throughout the activity and famous international dishes and twelve wonders of the Philippines were presented.

Ms. Margarita J. Ortega, Officer-In-Charge, congratulated the organizer and participants for coming up with meaningful activity.  According to her, this is the best time to teach the residents on peaceful co-existence and value of respect despite of their differences.

“Nais naming ipaalala sa lahat ang kahalagahan ng pagbibigay respeto sa kultura ng ibang bansa.” Ortega said.

The Sanctuary Center is a place of refuge and temporary shelter for adult female improved mental patients who are abandoned, neglected, and unattached. Through its therapeutic and rehabilitative services, it aims to restore these women’s social functioning and eventually reunite them with their families and mainstream them back to society. ###