DSWD center marks 25th anniversary

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas recently marked the 25th anniversary of its Home for Girls, a center that provides shelter and nurturing environment to survivors of violence and exploitation.

The center in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City currently houses 93 girls who are victims and survivors of different forms of abuse, violence, and exploitation.

The victims are undergoing holistic restoration and recovery from their varied experiences and trauma with the help of the registered social workers and staff in the center.

The anniversary celebration of the HFG served as a venue for the DSWD-7 to recognize its partner stakeholders through giving of certificates of appreciation for their active and continued partnership with them.

According to DSWD-7, these partners have helped the center put forward its mission and goals, which is to support the clients while they are healing inside the facility and as they reintegrate back to their families and to the society.

Paglaum Training International (PTI) Director Jonna P. Eleccion shared how the Home for Girls helped them in many ways in planning and crafting activities and services for their organization.

“With the technical staff of the Home for Girls we were able to operationalize a reintegration support program that offers economic empowerment services to girls and women who are reintegrated back to their communities after a period of time in shelters,” Eleccion said.

She also happily expressed about the continued support of PTI in doing its part to help the children and girls in their journey towards freedom from their horrible past experiences.

“We partake in the shared dream of contributing to the recovery process of the children that the HFG serves,” Eleccion said.

She also said that it is not just the role of the government to affect change and help the girls and children in the center achieve their hopes for the future but also of all sectors in the community.

In the short program held during the anniversary celebration, Mary (not her real name), a former resident of the HFG also shared an inspirational message.

She was a victim and survivor of a cybercrime and was rescued in her school in 2018.

In April 2019 she reintegrated back to the community and is now a regular employee of a company.

“E-treasure inyohang pag-stay diri. Pagtarong mo sa inyohang pagpuyo diri ug paminaw mo sa mga ate nato diri kay dili na makadaot ilahang mga advices. Mao nay makapalambo nato ug motabang nato nga ma-achieve nato atoang mga goals,” Mary told the residents of the center. (FREEMAN)