Food for the Hungry Int'l/ Philippines

Tondo Center, Manila

Tondo is one of the biggest and poorest District in the city of Manila. There are a total of 600 community (Barangays) in this District, of which the target communities are a part. Tondo has a land area of 20 square kilometers and a population of 500,000. Residents from this area come from various places of the country. The majority are from central Luzon and the Visayan Islands.

Food for the Hungry(FHI) Tondo Center is in partnership with Unida Ecumenical Church in the implementation of Child Development Program(CDP). FHI is serving two communities in Tondo-Parola and Barrio Menu which had been selected for CDP because of its poverty situation.

CDP Tondo center has been assisting a total of 270 children. To develop not only the children but also family, family members are engaged in seminars, workshop, forums and spiritual enrichment programs. Community projects such as water-sealed toilet was conducted to meet health problem of the community.

On-going community-worship service is being held in the area of Dagupan as led by the Unida Pastors.

Parola Area

LOCATION

Parola is one of the poorest communities in the 1st District of Manila. It is situated in a compound near the port area Manila and along the national main road. The community could be reached by all miscellaneous transportation jeepney, car, motorcycles, etc.

PHYSICAL FEAUTURES

Parola is a poor community composed of about 12,000 families. Houses are made up of makeshift and light materials. Some families used old container vans as a dwelling place. Residents of Parola lives under a depressed situation as the air is polluted because of the tons of garbage dumped in the community while pathwalks are muddy especially when it rains.

ETHNICITY AND LANGUAGE

Large number of the residents is from the Visayan Island. Other group comes from Pampanga, Ilocos province and Central Luzon. Dialect spoken in the area is Tagalog and Visayan dialect. [Top]

SITUATION OF COMMUNITY

Social Situation

The monthly average income is Php 2,000(US$40) to Php 3,000(US$60). Most family head works as sidecar driver, vendor, jeepney driver and scavenger.

There are formal leaders in the community. Said people were in-placed because of a national election. The head of the community is called "Barangay Chairman". There is Barangay Council. The Barangay council is responsible for the community policies and laws. They are the decision-makers, maintain peace and order and must be the one to attend to any community needs and problems.

People in the area links to outside partners in order to meet some of their community needs. There are NGO's and various religious groups assisting in various forms.

Spiritual Situation

Most of the residents claimed they are Christians. About 70% belong to the Roman Catholic faith, 20% from Iglesia Ni Cristo and 10% from other denomination/fellowship groups.

Many of the residents believe in God. Because of various Denominations in the area, belief in God varies. Some believe that there is only One God, some believe in the Lord Jesus while some people acknowledge Jesus only as a Prophet and not a Savior. People are not close-minded. Most of them are open to accept anything especially things which would be beneficial to them. Many are interested to study the Bible and to know deeply who God is. If there are people who can be trained in biblical worldview, it could start a new understanding for people in the community.

Road repair project is presently undertaken in the area through the assistance of a Born-again fellowship groups. Occasionally, the Catholic Church sends priest and nuns to distribute food gifts to the residents. "Alay Puso", a Catholic organization assist the area through medical assistance (in the forms of free medicines) [Top]

SITUATION OF THE CHILDREN

Spiritual Situation of the Children

Children before sponsorship have no knowledge about the Word of God. They don't know how to use/read the Bible. Most families don't have a copy of the Bible but are very much interested to have a copy of it.

Most children uttered curse and lacks discipline (does not know how to follow orders/instruction). They are quarrelsome and very unruly. [Top]

Intellectual & Vocational Situation of the Children

A number of children could not attend school because their parents have not enough means to support them. Children could complete grade school but not secondary education. Support from parents was noted to be lacking. School meetings aren't attended and children's status in school was not monitored by their parents. This has been said as one key factor why children does not persist in their studies and does not strive to get good grades in school.

Vocational skills are integrated in the school curriculum but even government schools could not provided the materials needed. Purchase of materials for vocational project was said to be an added burden to the parents. Some children were said not to comply with school project because of this reason. [Top]

Social/Moral Situation of the Children

The social life of the children is confided only in their own community and in their school. At a very young age, children are exposed to social and moral problems, which caused maladjustment on their personality. Because most parents are engaged in earning a living for the family, children were left at home and are neglected of their other needs. [Top]

Physical/Health Situation of the Children

Children are vulnerable to all diseases and oppression in the community. The unsanitary ways of garbage and waste disposal is a great treat to the children's health. Added to this, the congested, dirty and polluted air is another factor.

Some children work at a young age to help their parents earn a living. [Top]

Emotional Situation of the Children

The emotional state of the children could be said as unstable. There are children who looks matured at their age because of early exposure to work and inadequate nutrition. Their rude and unruly behavior can be rooted to their environment and community exposure. [Top]

Food for the Hungry Philippines Inc.
P.O Box 3022, Manila 2800 Philippines