Cops partner with group for program for street kids

CEBU, Philippines - At least 50 street children in Cebu City had a productive weekend after the Waterfront Police Station and the Cebu Lumad Lions Club gathered them for an outreach program.

The children, who are usually spotted roaming the areas of Barangays Santo Niño, San Roque, Tejero and Tinago, were given different kinds of lessons and were entertained in an outreach program dubbed as “Agusto: Halad, Serbisyo ug Kaalam.”

The program was conducted by the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk personnel of the Waterfront Police Station and the Cebu Lumad Lions Club.

Senior Police Officer 1 Janice Tamayo, chief of the WCPD of the Waterfront Police Station, said they are thankful to the Cebu Lumad Lions Club for making their plans possible.

She said they have long been planning for an activity for the street kids but have not carried it out due to the lack of funding.

Tamayo said some of the children who attended the program does not go to school and are in conflict with the law. Some have even been reported to the Waterfront Police Station for being involved in snatching incidents.

“At least karon, nalingaw gyud ang mga bata,” said Tamayo.

Dr. Marilyn Campano, charter president of the Cebu Lumad Lions Club, said they have three aims for the said program: to feed the children, to read them books and to involve them in mural paintings for their advocacy on a better environment.

 “Everytime we have a project like mural, i-add up nalang namo ang other services but ang thrust gyud is more of the environment,” said Campano.

Yuri Deldig, a talent of GMA-7 and an entertainment columnist of Banat News, read stories to the street children who later on painted the walls of the Waterfront Police Station.

Cebu Lumad Lions Club was organized last year and is the youngest charter club under the Lions Club International.

Campano said the club serves as the venue for them to help others.

 “Because when you give back, blessing comes in a hundredfold. We are too focused on work, to make money or something. This one, you get satisfaction of doing this. As simple as that,” she said.

Campano also thanked the Waterfront Police Station for coordinating with them and making the program a success.

The kids expressed their excitement and were thankful since they had fun and learned a lot of lessons.  (FREEMAN)