Published in the Manila Bulletin on 17 April 2005.
Streetchildren are a major problem in Philippine urban centers. They arrive in the cities for various reasons, oftentimes falling prey to the various hazards of living on the street.
Pangarap shelters provide a wholesome environment for these children to go. The shelter works to feed and educate the children and reintegrate them into their communities.
I know Ige Ramos from the Philippine Macintosh community. He is an acclaimed graphic artist who has dedicated time from his busy schedule to help street children.
Pangarap ni Ige (Ige's Hope) for Streetkids
By ALEX S. TIMBOL
If you're a successful graphic artist and book designer responsible for much of what is called contemporary Philippine design, what would you do to celebrate your birthday?
Ige Ramos, president of Ige Ramos Design Studio, creator of hundreds of published works, several dozen coffee table books, and internationally renowned "NewMedia" artist, celebrated his birthday with 100 children at the Pangarap Center for Street Children in Pasay City.
Instead of gifts, Ige requested his guests to bring toys, books, beddings, and clothes for the children.
"I already know what I'm going to do when I retire!" proclaims Ige, who has been helping the Foundation for the last fifteen years.
His contacts in the CCP, where he used to work, help Ige arrange dance classes with Ballet Manila, art workshops, and other skills development programs for the children. He also actively solicits for the shelter from among his business' clientele.
Started in 1989 by the Sons of Mary, Ina-anak, Inc., and the Ladies of Charity of Pasay, the Pangarap Foundation is accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development as a child caring agency, and is certified as a donee institution by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification.
The Foundation has residential shelter operations in Pasay City (for boys) and Taguig City (for girls), a Community Development Center in Paliparan III, Dasmarinas, Cavite, and affiliated Centers offering alternative education and other services to children working in the streets.
Bro. Francisco Tanega, executive director of Pangarap Foundation, emphasizes that while cash donations are welcome (they have hundreds of mouths to feed every day!), donations of clothes, books, beddings, and useable furniture are also accepted.
The foundation even welcomes donations of personal time for skills development programs for the children.
Children come to the shelter from different sources. Many are referred by other social welfare NGOs, but a third of them are walk-ins who had heard about the shelter on the street.
Many of these children are runaways fleeing from dysfunctional or non-existent families.
Others have been brought to the big city, promised schooling and jobs, then abandoned or abused by relatives and "family friends."
Boys stay at Pangarap in Pasay City, while girls are processed and placed in Pangarap's facility in Taguig City.
The Center is careful to screen walk-ins through interviews and psychological profiling, citing a previous incident when an thief, posing as a street child, arrived in the morning and then attempted to break into the Center's storeroom.
It is an even sadder postscript that the thief turned out to be part of a gang with "Police Protection."
Hoy, mahiya kayo! (You should be ashamed of yourselves!).
Upon being accepted into the Center, the child is put through a program of "stabilization," starting with three square meals a day.
"Most kids improve their outlook instantly when they don't worry about their next meal," says Bro. Tanega.
With the help of the older kids, the new child is integrated into the community, participating in value formation activities, skills development workshops, and helping with the chores around the shelter.
The Center's regimen of waking times, school hours, chore times, study hours, and sleeping time help the child recover from his experience on the streets.
After successfully undergoing the recovery program, he is enrolled at any of the nearby schools to continue his education. The center pays for school related expenses until the high school level, and accepts sponsorships for individual children.
Sponsored children can continue to Technical & Vocational courses at Don Bosco and other institutions or may choose to pursue a college degree.
"The kids are here voluntarily," says Bro. Tanega.
Each child signs a contract with the center promising good behavior, participation in group activities, and helping out with the chores in exchange for board and lodging at the shelter.
"We're not a reformatory," stresses Bro. Tanega, fending off requests from well-to-do families to place problem kids under his care.
"There are other places better equipped for them.Pangarap provides a positive environment for kids with nowhere to go. In most cases, that's what a child needs to grow into a productive member of society."
The boys themselves have developed quite a reputation in their Pasay neighborhood, being always courteous, responsible, and willing to help.
They've had to raise the fences to discourage female admirers from oogling the boys, which distracts them from their chores.
"The neighborhood girls know that our boys make good husbands!" notes Bro. Tanega proudly. "They're hardworking, well-mannered, and do housework!"
Pangarap's ultimate goal for each child is to return them to a positive home environment.
"Simply sending the child back doesn't work." says Bro. Tanega.
"Once we've located the child's family, we pay them a visit and try to determine the reasons the child has left. Our outreach program includes counselling families on parenting skills."
Only when the Center is sufficiently convinced that the child can return safely are they reintegrated.
When the child is returned, the Center's staff continues supervision with frequent visits to evaluate the family's progress.
If livelihood is an issue, the Center works with other NGOs to provide livelihood assistance to the entire family.
The many awards and recognitions Pangarap has received for its work are just added frills. The real rewards are in developing the children's God-given ability to be self-reliant, responsible, and caring, and extend those values to their families and local community.
"Each child we send back is an ambassador," says Bro. Tanega, "He provides us a link to help us participate in the healthy development of that community."
The Pangarap Foundation is located at 2503 Taft Ave., cor. Escobal Street in Pasay and can be reached at Tel. Nos. 834-1061 & 551-3733; and by eMail. The Sons Of Mary have a website here.
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I received the following eMail 20 April 2005 from Kevin Connolly about the article. Mr. Connolly is the country representative of Hope For Children, a British Foundation actively supporting the Pangarap Shelters.
Dear Alex,
I cannot tell you how surprised Ige and I were to read your full page
spread on Pangarap Shelter in last Sundays Manila Bulletin.
Brother Francisco called me immediately, and we both agreed that is was truly an informative and well rounded article.
Thank you on behalf of the children, and you are always assured of a warm welcome at Pangarap.
Kevin Connolly,
Hope for Children,
Philippines Representative
