Childhaus turns 10

MANILA, Philippines - Ten years ago, Ricky Reyes was deeply affected upon seeing ill-stricken children and their guardians camping at the corridors, garden and parking area of government hospitals like Jose Reyes and Philippine General.

Those youngsters were suffering from cancer and needed continuous treatment. Coming from faraway provinces from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, their parents were poor to shoulder transportation expenses or house rental. Hence, there was a need for a shelter in Metro Manila.

In October of 2002, the Ricky Reyes Foundation, then Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) director Honeygirl Singson and former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando renovated a forsaken building at the Quezon Institute Compound in E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City and called it Childhaus, a halfway house for kids undergoing chemotherapy, dialysis, blood transfusions and other treatments.

To date more than 10,000 patients benefited from the temporary shelter that was forced to evacuate after seven years when PCSO transferred to another location. The wards were taken to a rented house in Project 8 until a fairy godfather in the person of Hans Sy of the SM Group of Companies donated a house and lot to them at 90 Mapang-akit St., Diliman, Quezon City.  The Sys (Hans and Carol) attended the Childhaus 10th birthday party.  Celebrity ninongs and ninangs also came. They were Karylle, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Gino Padilla, Abra, Rita de Guzman, Daniel Padilla, Ogie Diaz, Henry Omaga Diaz of ABS-CBN and Gigi Santiago-Lara of GMA News TV.   

Childhaus certificates of appreciation were handed to the donors that also included Gandang Ricky Reyes Salon managers, Women In Travel, Rotary Club of Salcedo, Makati, officers and members of Fil-Hair Coop.

The celebration will be featured on  GMA News TV’s Gandang Ricky Reyes Todo Na ’Toh on Saturday at 9 a.m.