Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop (RSW) envisions to establish a cooperative to support their productivity work for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).  Under the directive of DSWD-NCR’s Management Committee, the RSW proposed the establishment of their We Link Cooperative, which aims to help RSW staff to increase their income, have enough savings and investments, and to promote equitable distribution of net surplus through maximum utilization of economics of scale, cost sharing, and risk-sharing.

Mr. Arnel Cruz, the technical staff of Cooperative Development Authority – Manila Extension Office (CDA-MEO), facilitated a seminar on “Establishing Cooperative” last April 24, 2019 at Committee Room 1, Quezon City Hall, Quezon City. He discussed some of the frequently asked questions regarding cooperatives, such as: (1) What is cooperative, (2) What are the objectives and goals of a cooperative, (3) What are the categories of a cooperative, (4) Who can be the members of a cooperative, (5) What are the privileges of a cooperative, (6) What are the different types of cooperative, and, (7) How to organize a cooperative. The said seminar was participated in by transport groups, women, youth, government, and non-government sectors, and other entities who wish to establish a cooperative business at their respective institutions.

The particpants were all enlightened after the orientation, as all the queries were answered by Mr. Cruz and other staff from the CDA-MEO. This helped RSW in identifying their next steps in putting up a cooperative.

Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop is a non-residential business-work oriented facility which provides sheltered employment opportunities to PWDs. It is located along J.P. Burgos Street, Project 4, Quezon City.

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The Haven for Children joined the celebration of “The Santos Frank Get into Rugby – Junior Touch Rugby Festival” last April 27, 2019 at Southern Plains, Canlubang, Laguna. Tuloy Foundations, Parañaque Eagles, Tuloy sa Don Bosco, and Santos Frank Knight Mavericks also participated in the festival activities.

Touch Rugby refers to the game derived from rugby football in which instead of tackling each other, the players tag their opponents by touching them on any part of the body, clothes, or even the ball. A formal, competitive variety of football known as touch has developed from rugby league into its own kind of sport. Touch rugby games are being played as training activities for rugby league unions, particularly in schools and junior clubs as an informal kind of social sport.

Touch rugby was introduced to Haven for Women by a well-known group called Philippine Rugby Football Union, Inc. Since then, the children loved and enjoyed playing the game as it helps them build their self-esteem, increase their socialization skills, communication skills, teamwork, and their leadership skills.

During the break time, the organizers let the children play some mini gamesto heighten the fun and strenghten camaraderie among themselves.

Haven for Children team garnered nine (9) straight wins out of nine (9) matches from different categories which made the team champion of all the divisions under the 12, 14, and 16 year old categories. The children definitely enjoyed the experience as they bonded well with other players.

Haven for Children is a temporary shelter designed to provide healing and empowerment to former street children. It is located at Alabang–Zapote Road, Cupang, Muntinlupa City.

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The annual sportfest of Elsie Gaches Village (EGV) was held last April 22-29, 2019 with the theme “Maliksing Pangangatawan, Matalas na Kaisipan tungo sa Luntian na Kapaligiran.”

EGV’s Sportsfest 2019 is a week-long celebration with various games and activities facilitated each day to promote physical fitness, sportsmanship and camaraderie among its residents and staff. Participants were divided into four (4) teams wearing costumes from the show Encantadia. The teams were named Hatoraya Red, Sapiro Green, Lireo Blue, and Adamya Yellow.

The event began through a formal opening ceremony. The teams had their parade, followed by the lighting of torch led by selected EGV residents which signaled the start of the games, and thereafter, all went for a Zumba. All groups heated up the Multi-Purpose Hall with their loud cheers and dance moves. The activity continued with relay games in which they have 4 stations, enabling the team members to execute their abstract and gross motor skills, communication, cooperation and strategic planning skills as they finished the challenges.

The second part of the celebration included Board games such as chess and dama, Uno card game, and Jengga.

However the second day was cancelled as Government work was suspended after the 6.2 magnitude earthquake. Due to this, activities scheduled for the second day were compressed to Day 3. These include Bocce, Agawang Itlog, Sack Race, and Croquet.

On the later part of day three, each team rolled all-out support for their players at the basketball elimination game. Residents and staff were combined to form teams. Everyone was so eager to win the battle for championship, but the yellow team and the blue team were the ones who stood up and made it to the final round. Blue team concluded the basketball match with the score of 54-51 in favor of them.

On the fourth day, the staff and residents enjoyed the volleyball elimination games. Teams Hatorya Red and Sapiro Green gave everyone a close fight during the final round and luckily, through hard work and coordination, the Green team won.

On the fifth day, the most awaited part of the Sportsfest 2019 was held. The awarding ceremony for the Mr. and Ms. Sports Fest Sangre and Mulawin Edition got the audience very excited and energetic, as the good looking pairs from each team were presented to compete for the titles. Each pair gave their best shot as they ramped wearing their chosen sports attire, casual attire, and, their Rampionista attire – an attire made with recycled materials, patterned to appear like an armor from Encantadia. Aside from the presentation and creativity, a question and answer portion was held as part of the criteria for judging. All the teammates were very supportive as they cheered their lungs out and flaunted their banners. To end, Ms. April Baliguat (Mulawin) and Mr. Ryan Garlit (Sangre) from the yellow team won the crown as Mr. and Ms. Sportsfest 2019.

All the heads of the center were very cooperative as they actively participated in games wherein they had to eat bananas and singkamas. They even did the chubby bunny (eating of marshmallow), and played a game wherein the girls will have to eat peanuts and pasta on a diaper, and the boys will have to eat ketchup and pasta on a napkin.

Everyone felt that their efforts and hardwork have paid-off as they received the trophies and certificates which symbolize their sportsmanship and competitiveness. Hatorya Red Team sported their way to the top, seconded by Sapiro Green Team, followed by Adamya Yellow Team and lastly, the Lireo Blue Team.

Sportsfest is an opportunity not only to have fun, but also to promote physical fitness and sportsmanship. Values of cooperation, fairness, and sportsmanship were also instilled, regardless which team won or defeated. In the end, the bonding, the enjoyment, and the friendship are all that matters.

Elsie Gaches Village is a residential care facility which provides care and rehabilitation to the abandoned and/or neglected children with special needs. It is located at Alabang-Zapote Road, Muntinlupa City.

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Private companies conduct community services and outreach programs in barangays, centers, and orphanages as part of their corporate social responsibility. Wells Fargo & Company, an American multinational financial services company enterprising in the Philippines, conducts their volunteer services in the form of simple outreach activities for children, garden clean-up, mentoring work and patient visitation, and community service. This has been an integral part of the company’s culture and every week, they have a line-up of visiting sessions at their favorite government and non-government organizations.

Last April 13, 2019, Wells Fargo conducted an outreach activity at Nayon ng Kabataan where thirty (30) volunteers were present and the same number of children with ages ranging from 8 – 12 years old participated in the program.

The Officer of the Day, Mr. Roy Barber, assisted the volunteers and provided an orientation on the rules and regulations of the center during the conduct of the activity. A brief background on the history, programs, and services of Nayon ng Kabataan was also discussed.

The theme of the program was about Palarong Pinoy. Guided by the volunteers, the children were divided into three (3) groups (Blue, Purple, and Silver) consisting of 10 children per group as they played straw relay, sack race, and calamansi relay. Team Silver was declared as the grand winner of all the games and the losing teams still received consolation prices.

It was indeed a memorable experience for both the children and the volunteers, as overwhelming happiness is evident during and after the activity.

Nayon ng Kabataan is a residential care facility for the abused, orphaned, abandoned, neglected and exploited children ages 7-17 years old, both male and female. It is located at Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.

April 7, 2019 marked another success for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) and Charity First Foundation, Inc., as 27 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries graduated from their respective universities. Four (4) of them graduated with Latin Honors (Cum Laude) and three (3) of them graduated with distinction as Dean’s Listers.  Charity First Foundation has been a partner of Pantawid Pamilya since 2015. Currently, we have 54 scholars and have produced 50 graduates since 2016. This year’s annual recognition day was held at the Philippine Institute of Quezon City.

Charity First Foundation, Inc. provides scholarship grants to financially indigent, yet well deserving college students, as they believe that education is the basic foundation of an individual’s path towards self-respect and self-reliance as well as an important factor towards alleviating the problems caused by poverty.

Yearly, the DSWD-NCR through Pantawid Pamilya sends their beneficiaries to apply for scholarship grants offered by the foundation. All Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries undergo a thorough screening process based on the standards set by the Charity First Foundation. Once accepted as a Charity First Scholar, Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries must abide the rules and regulations of the foundation for them to maintain their scholarship.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program of the government designed for poverty reduction, social protection, and development strategy. Pantawid Pamilya and Charity First Foundation, Inc. share the same goal on social development, which is to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty through investment in human capital. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR), through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), renewed its partnership with Unilever Philippines – Knorr Lutong Nanay Nutrition Program, together with the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) and Kabisig ng Kalahi. The event took place last April 03, 2019 at Unilever Philippines Corporate Center, BGC, Taguig.

For three consecutive years, Unilever has been a partner of DSWD in improving the lives of the program members, focusing on nutrition. 4Ps offers a scale for Knorr Lutong Nanay Nutrition Program to reach millions of Filipinos nationwide, to effectively combat and alleviate malnutrition in the country which is prevalent up to this day. 

With the help of DOST-FNRI, Knorr developed the Nutri-Budget Journal which contains 63 recipes especially made for every mom who loves to prepare nutritious meals for their families. This journal contains recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals programmed to empower every mother who’s taking charge of their family’s home-cooked meals, which are not just nutritious, but also affordable.

After reaching more than 200,000 individuals from Taguig, Paranaque, Marikina, Malabon, Valenzuela and Quezon City, Knorr Lutong Nanay Nutri Program will bring the project to 10 more cities, namely, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Pasay, Pasig, San Juan, Pateros, Navotas, Caloocan, Manila and Makati.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a human development measure of the national government designed to alleviate poverty in the country by providing conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0-18.

For more information about 4Ps, visit pantawid.dswd.gov.ph.

The Haven for Women celebrated Women’s Month with a motorcade last March 6, 2019. The event was attended by the Center’s residents and employees, with an opening program that shows the support of the Department to every woman in the country.

The Alabang and Muntinlupa Government sponsored the e-jeepneys used for the motorcade. Ms. Taleño, the Officer-in-Charge, gave her opening message emphasizing the value of respecting the rights of women and empowering the women’s rights and responsibilities. “We make change. Work for women; lahat ng ating mga residente ay may kakayahan na baguhin ang antas ng kanilang pamumuhay sa pamamagitan ng pag-aaral  ng mga bagong talent para sa ikauunlad ng kanilang sarili.”

The celebration will showcase the different talents of the Center’s residents through their Slogan and Poster Making contest. There will be a lecture on Laws for Women, a Zumba dance activity, and a talent contest entitled “Talentado Ka Girl”, which will be held on March 29, 2019.

The Haven for Women is a residential care facility which caters to women who are victims of abuse, prostitution, illegal recruitment, armed conflict, women detention, and children of unwed mothers.

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Crisanta Villamor, fondly called as “Tinay”,  was born on July 11, 1976. She was brought into Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) last September 23, 1976 through the referral of Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital. As per records from the hospital, a few hours after giving birth, her mother, Virginia Villamor, left her. She was then adopted in 1977 by a Dutch Family and grew up in a small village in the East of Netherlands near Germany. Her adoptive parents have biological children whom she treated as her own brothers and sisters. She’s currently living in Amsterdam, Netherlands and is currently working at their Local Government as a Communication Advisor. At the age of 25, Crisanta got married to a Dutch named Frans, and they are now blessed with three (3) sons, namely Milo, Kian and Quiten. They are now Tinays’ rays of sunshine.

In 2012, Crisanta came back to Philippines to look for her biological family but at no luck, she was not able to find any lead on their whereabouts. In 2017, she visited the Philippines again and went to Reception and Study Center for Children, her first home. She was so happy seeing the nursery for the first time and became so emotional. She was even more excited to see her Case Study Report. Based on the records, a man came when she was born who persistently wanted to get her in custody, but the hospital staff preferred to entrust her under the care of Manila City Social Welfare and Development Office and later endorsed to the RSCC. The man was Mr. Alberto, whom Tinay, with her strong instincts, believed to be his father. Unfortunately, Tinay found out that Mr. Alberto passed away two (2) years ago. On February 8, 2019, Crisanta came back in the Philippines and visited the RSCC again. She’s still holding a strong hope in getting a chance to know and meet her biological mother.

Crisanta “Tinay” Villamor Kuiper de Vries, at 43, is happily married with a very loving family. She is very thankful to the Department for being one of the many children who were left behind, abandoned and neglected, but have found their new home, had a good life, and a better future through the Department’s  programs and services.

Reception and Study Center for Children is a residential care facility managed by DSWD-NCR, which caters to 0-6 year-old children who are abandoned and deprived of parental care and support. The children under RSCC are being provided with temporary care, custody, or alternative family care service. ###