Food for the Hungry Int'l/ Philippines

Caloocan Center, Manila

Child Development Program (CDP) Caloocan Center is in the Northern part of Metro Manila serving the less fortunate children of Caloocan City. Caloocan is one of the key cities of Metro Manila. Food for the Hungry Int'l (FHI)/Phil. is in partnership with Sandmeir United Methodist Church in the implementation of CDP is this city.

FHI/Philippines has selected 7 depressed communities (Barangays) in Caloocan for CDP. To date, we serve a total of 288 children. Food for the Hungry helps to assist these children through CDP benefit package such as educational, health care / nutrition, values inculcation/spiritual upliftment and clothing assistance. Alternative education were given to the parents through workshops, forums training and seminars.

Poor sanitation and health problems were expressed to be the main problem of the community. FHI facilitated a community related project involving the residents and community leaders to solve said problems. Projects undertaken were Water sealed toilet, community cleaning and community clinics.

LOCATION

Caloocan CDP serves 7 barangays in Caloocan City, a north part of Metro Manila and approximately 18 kilometers form the city.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

These communities belong to economically depressed communities to which the majority of their residents are permanent residents and squatters.

Each community has an approximate population ranging from 350 E1250 families. Most of the residents are migrants from provinces such as Visaya, Ilocos, Bicol, Pampanga and others. Filipino or Tagalog is the common language spoken by the people.

The houses are built along the railroad of Philippine National Railways owned by Government. During rainy days, most of these communities are flooded. The creek in the area has been the dumping site of all kinds of waste (materials and human), therefore, when the water overflows during the rainy season all the waste products return to the community causing illnesses among children.

Houses are constructed from makeshift and light materials. These are a mixture of privately owned and rented houses. House rental is from P500.00(US$10) to 3,000.00(US$60) for a small room for all household activities. [Top]

SITUATION OF COMMUNITY

About 68% of the family have monthly income ranging from Php 3,000(US$60) to 6,000(US$120) a month. High rate of number of unemployment was noted amongst the family heads. Presence of people mostly by-stander could be seen in all these community.

Malnutrition problem noted among the children from age's 2-6 years old. As these is no play are, narrow streets and pathways served as their recreation area. High rate of out of school children was noted. Said children are those who were engage in vices and unproductive activities.

Due to poverty, young women resorted to early marriage or early pregnancy. Women become family heads in the absence of jobs of the fathers. Most of the women are engaged in street vending, laundry and doing domestic help

Community (Barangay) officials have a hard time solving the community problems such as sanitation, drug addiction and illegal gambling because the residents are not cooperative. Unemployment is a major problem as most people lack skills. Added to this, the community has a spiritual problem that needs to be attended.

[Top]

SITUATION OF THE CHILD

Children, in general, are vulnerable creatures and they are susceptible to all forms of abuse and sickness. The alarming situation of our children, now, is that they are not safe even inside their homes. Being weak, with no freedom to express their feelings and not having been respected, their development has been adversely affected during these formative years.

Corrupted values and beliefs have developed due to negative attitudes. These corrupted values and beliefs have led to school truancy, conflicts with law enforcement, early marriage and vices like drug addiction, gambling and many more that destroy their future.

Parents (both father and mother) have no more time for their children, as they have been busy earning a living for their family.

Spiritual Situation

The Philippines is known as the only "Christian" nation in Asia. But sad to say, most Filipinos have shallow understanding of what true Christianity is. Most of CDP children knew Jesus by name only and not by heart. CDP therefore, provides children and their family members opportunity to hear the Gospel and know more about Jesus.

[Top]

Intellectual/Vocational Situation

Education is said to be the right of every Filipino child but sad to say this truth is not applicable to all. Not all children can go to school especially those children whose parents are poor. At an early age, children were forced by their parents to earn a living instead of attending school.

Public or government school lacks enough materials to provide quality education. Most public schools lack books, desks and chairs. This is the reason why most children have to pay school contribution fees and to buy for their own school materials.

A High School guidance counselor in Caloocan said that 95% of children who are school problem are those who said not loved by their parents. Most of them said that they seldom see their parents at home and does not spend any time to talk to them.

[Top]

Social/Moral Situation

There has been deterioration in the social and moral values of children. . Parents/adults keep on complaining about the behavior and attitude of today's children when compared to their childhood. They say children are hard headed, have no respect for adults, are cruel, and have low regard for education. The early exposure to television of children has affected their behavior as individuals. Most children in the community are exposed to social and moral problems such as public drinking, gambling, promiscuity and other vices. Drug addiction remains to be a big treat to the children's future.

[Top]

Physical (Health) Situation

Children in Caloocan suffer from pulmonary diseases, malnutrition, upper respiratory diseases and tuberculosis. Health attention has been a great need of the residents. Government health centers provides free consultation check-ups but medicines are not provided. Immunization is also limited.

Congestion and environmental pollution are main problems in the area. Most CDP members have limited space. Added to this, they have been smelling the bad smell of the open canals and creek in the area. The creek or canal has been the dumping site for all kinds of refuse.

[Top]

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Most of the CDP children are emotionally unstable. They long to be loved at all times and to seek for attention from the adults. The poverty situation has affected the family relationship. To be able to support there children, both parents need to work and leave their children at home. In some cases even children were engage by parents to work in order to help earn a living. [Top] [Next Page]

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

Caloocan Center

Accomplishments 1999-2000