Phi visited the children of the Bantay Bata 163 Children’s Village in Norzagaray, Bulacan for the R.I.C.E. (Rehabilitation, Improvement, and Child Empowerment) Project. The village was established in 2003 and has since then become the home of abused and exploited children rescued by the Bantay Bata 163.
One hundred sacks of rice and several boxes of clothes were donated to the village by Phi International, Inc.
The visit started with a tour around the facility. Though still unfinished, the village is well equipped for the rehabilitation of abused children with its strikingly fine and well-maintained rooms and facilities.
A mass was celebrated followed by games and activities by volunteer members of Phi International, mostly medical students from the Phi Kappa Mu and Phi Lambda Delta. Even though there were some kids who were shy at first, probably due to the many unfamiliar faces, it wasn’t long before they started to participate, sharing fun and laughter over a scrumptious lunch of Jollibee Regular Yum with Cheese and Chickenjoy meal.
The kids were entertained by the wacky medical students who hosted the afternoon’s program. The kids were very energetic and excited as they played parlor games. It was then the kids’ turn to entertain the crowd as they enthusiastically showed their dancing skills and sang popular Christmas songs. There could have been no happier scene as everyone happily passed the time away with videoke singing, dancing and wacky horseplay.
No child should go through what these kids have been through and it’s good to see that there are people who support the children and help them move on to a brighter future. It was definitely a one-of-a-kind and humbling experience for everyone.