A milestone viewed from different perspectives...

     http://www.manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com/2013/11/manila-city/#.U9WEDF62xFI

The following news article appeared yesterday...

MANILA: A government official on Sunday disclosed that a baby girl weighing 2.8 kilogrammes became the 100 millionth Filipino amid serious concerns raised on the adverse impact that an annual and unchecked population growth would have on the country’s limited resources.

Juan Antonio Perez, the head of the Population Commission (PopCom), disclosed the girl named Jennalyn Sentino became the symbolic 100 millionth Filipino that also made the Philippines the 12th most populous country in the world.

Jennalyn was born at 12:38am on Sunday and was among the 100 babies delivered at a government maternity hospital in the capital city of Manila, according to Perez.

At Malacanang Palace, Abigail Valte, the deputy presidential spokesman, welcomed Jennalyn’s birth and reiterated the Aquino administration’s commitment to help the poorest of the poor improve their lives.

Valte told government DzRB radio that President Benigno Noynoy” Aquino was determined to tailor-fit his programmes to benefit especially the poor in the countryside before his term is to expire in June 2016.

Secretary Enrique Ona of the Department of Health agreed with Valte, saying the increase in population was a “welcome development” as he pointed out the country’s health programme was already in place.

In particular, Ona said most of the poor Filipinos have already been enrolled in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) that would enable their families to avail of services in government hospitals free of charge or with minimum expense.

But family planning advocates took a different stance as they expressed alarm over the arrival of the 100 millionth Filipino, warning this did not augur well for the country’s economic growth.

Ben de Leon, the president of The Forum for Family Planning and Development, noted an unchecked population growth would put further strain on the country’s limited resources particularly in providing Filipinos their basic needs like education, health, housing and employment.

De Leon said: “As it is right now, the government can no longer give them jobs. That’s the reason many are leaving the country. So how much more if you have a big population.”

The Philippines already has in place a reproductive health or birth control law signed by Aquino in December 2012 despite threats and strong opposition from the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and “pro-life” groups.

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/11d314d7-4767-4d91-8364-8318b7a51405.aspx

The solution to the problem of poverty is not that we create wealth..

 

    (photo from http://frenchlivinginthephilippines.blogspot.com/2012/08/manille-inondations-squatters-et.html)

 Yesterday, on our way to the Cathedral in Antipolo, we drove past the vast squatter settlements on the shores of Laguna de Bay.  It is truly astonishing to see this much poverty in sight of the high-rises of the greater metropolitan area of Manila.  The people who live in these areas are in serious and immediate need of clean drinking water, food, medical care, education and employment.  Seeing hundreds of thousands of people in these conditions is truly disheartening and can cause one to despair of ever finding a solution.  The same disparities are present in most nations, including the US, but in few places are they as stark as here.

What is important for Lasallian educators to remember is that our mission is not to provide an education that turns poor people into wealthy people, but rather to make available to the poor an education that enables them to live safe, healthy and productive lives as well as developing their faith and their understanding of their rightful place in the world and in the kingdom of God.  There is no way, in any realistic sense, for all of us to be affluent, but it is certainly within our grasp that we can all live dignified lives with our basic needs being met, albeit through our own efforts or (when we are unable) the assistance of others.  Perhaps it was said best in Announcing the Gospel to the Poor by Brothers Michel Sauvage and Miguel Campos:


      "The Institute De La Salle founded is not at the service of social conservatism, but neither does it exist for an advancement of individuals in which the ultimate motive force is the desire for possessions or power. While De La Salle's statements on the beatitude of poverty are stern, they only emphasize the prophetic meaning of the Brother's vocation and mission. To work for the liberation of poor children doubtless means to help them become the agents of their own victory over external oppressive forces. But this result would not be achieved if the motivation brought into play were the will to become part of a ruling class or to take the place of that class. The Brother's reward is not that his pupils "are successful" according to the standards of a "world" to which his own basic choice opposes him. The Brother's aim is not to develop a society in which money is the real god, but to bring to birth a new world in which man, the child of God-every man, including the poor-is regarded as having infinite value and deserving to be recognized, honored, loved, and served.
      If this seems a utopian purpose, then the Gospel must be blamed for it. And if a religious community like the Brothers of the Christian Schools loses its prophetic power to challenge a "world" that maintains, against the Gospel, the blessedness of riches; if this community reaches the point of being simply an instrument that propertied society uses for its own maintenance and growth, then the Institute no longer has any justification for its existence, even though it be so integrated into this society that the latter allows it to prolong its existence by supplying it with new members. The resolute decision in favor of the poor and the vital faith in the blessedness of poverty are central to De La Salle's thinking, just as they were the essential motivating forces of his life and his struggles. It is doubtless in this that he was a witness to the Spirit Who caused him to enter with full realism into the mystery of the saving incarnation of Jesus Christ."

    -  from Announcing the Gospel to the Poor, by Michel Sauvage, FSC, Miguel Campos, FSC

How old are the "children in conflict with the law" at a Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center?

According to Republic Act (RA) 10630, a Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center (as the government now calls any such facility) provides services to teenagers from 15 to 17 years of age.

‘Bahay Pag-asa’ – refers to a 24-hour child-caring institution established, funded and managed by local government units (LGUs) and licensed and/or accredited nongovernment organizations (NGOs) providing short-term residential care for children in conflict with the law who are above fifteen (15) but below eighteen (18) years of age who are awaiting court disposition of their cases or transfer to other agencies or jurisdiction.

The residents of Bahay Pag-asa Dasmarinas fit this description.  However, if you visit Bahay Pag-asa Bacolod, you will see younger residents, more aptly described as "children in conflict with the law."  RA 10630 actually allows for this.

“SEC. 20. Children Below the Age of Criminal Responsibility. – If it has been determined that the child taken into custody is fifteen (15) years old or below, the authority which will have an initial contact with the child, in consultation with the local social welfare and development officer, has the duty to immediately release the child to the custody of his/her parents or guardian, or in the absence thereof, the child’s nearest relative. The child shall be subjected to a community-based intervention program supervised by the local social welfare and development officer, unless the best interest of the child requires the referral of the child to a youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ managed by LGUs or licensed and/or accredited NGOs monitored by the DSWD.

“If the child has been found by the local social welfare and development officer to be dependent, abandoned, neglected or abused by his/her parents and the best interest of the child requires that he/she be placed in a youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’, the child’s parents or guardians shall execute a written authorization for the voluntary commitment of the child: Provided, That if the child has no parents or guardians or if they refuse or fail to execute the written authorization for voluntary commitment, the proper petition for involuntary commitment shall be immediately filed by the DSWD or the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, otherwise known as ‘The Child and Youth Welfare Code’ and the Supreme Court rule on commitment of children: Provided, further, That the minimum age for children committed to a youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ shall be twelve (12) years old.”

“SEC. 20-A. Serious Crimes Committed by Children Who Are Exempt From Criminal Responsibility. – A child who is above twelve (12) years of age up to fifteen (15) years of age and who commits parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, robbery, with homicide or rape, destructive arson, rape, or carnapping where the driver or occupant is killed or raped or offenses under Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) punishable by more than twelve (12) years of imprisonment, shall be deemed a neglected child under Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, and shall be mandatorily placed in a special facility within the youth care faculty or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (IJISC).

This modification to the existing juvenile justice reform act (RA 9344) addresses the problem of children from 12 and 14 who, if returned home, are likely to continue being involved in criminal activities because of influences of family, friends or even crime syndicates.  It also provides an option for children charged with "rape" who may be at risk of attack if they remain in their village or neighborhood.

At the other end of the age spectrum, we also have residents who are over the age of 18 - some as old as 21 years.  (All of these residents entered the program at ages below 18 - the normal age of criminal responsibility.) This is because their court cases have not been entirely resolved and the alternative facility for them would be an adult jail or prison.  That option would be destructive of the entire rehabilitation process and is clearly one that we hope to avoid.  By the age of 21, the cases are always resolved and residents who reach this age either return home, continue as college students with some help for room and board, or find employment and begin living on their own.

Interestingly, there are cases presented to us in which the young person is 18 years of age, but is facing jail because of an alleged crime committed when they were below 18.  Some young people in this situation are also in danger of revenge from people in their towns.  The Bahay Pag-asa staff members are looking at these issues and working on policies involving these candidates for the program.

So, as you can see, no matter how carefully one defines a particular program such as a Bahay Pag-asa, cases will arise which cause one to re-evaluate admission policies in light of human needs, the safety of young people in conflict with the law, and the demands of the Gospel.

An Escape from Violence

Bahay Pag-asa is, for many of its residents, an escape from violence.  As our volunteers settle in and have time to spend with the boys, they begin to hear the stories of their lives.  Some of the stories would be hard to believe except for the fact that the staff of Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center have heard many such stories.  In our conversation with one resident we learned that, while incarcerated,  he had been badly beaten on the soles of his feet and on the back of his legs with a large wooden stick (takal).  On another occasion he was required to climb up on the bars of his cell and remain there the entire day, risking a beating if he fell down.  Violence in the police lock-ups and jails is matched by the violence in local gangs or "fraternities."  The resident whose hands are shown below has a large circular scar that is several years old.  This is the result of a gang initiation.  A coin was heated and then placed on his wrist.

As well a being extremely painful, these types of initiations mark a young person for life and create problems when they look for employment.  At Bahay Pag-asa we must show young people that there is a way of living in which violence is not the norm and where brotherhood is the product of compassion and dedication rather than intimidation and ordeal.

The Determination of Families

As the western edge of Typhoon Henry soaks the northern Philippines, we are still able to get around for some family visits.  Volunteer Albert Ahedo listens to members of the family of one of the residents of Bahay Pag-asa Dasmarinas describe some of their challenges.  We are impressed by the determination of these families to provide the best care for their children and grandchildren even in spite of very limited resources.  The small child on the bed has a condition that will require a major operation, but the procedure cannot be done for another two years.  Until then, his grandmother carefully tends to this 3-year old, monitoring his food intake and keeping him happy and healthy.  As you can see, simple homes here are often decorated with posters that you would normally find in a classroom - just another indication of how very much these families value education.

Why so serious?

Looking at the faces of our volunteers in this photo, you might wonderful what sort of serious meeting this was.  This was the final chance for the residents to thank the volunteers for their one-month stay at Bahay Pag-asa Bacolod and to wish them well and invite them to come back again.  It's always difficult, because the volunteers don't realize how much they have grown to love these kids and how much the kids have developed an affection for them.  The boys with their faces down on their desks are crying because this good and promising month has come to an end.  We remind them that more volunteers will come and that these volunteers hope to see them again someday.  But each of the boys at Bahay Pag-asa knows that healthy and supportive family life is nothing to take for granted.  They mourn the loss of even the temporary family they form with us.  The volunteers are affected more deeply than they expected and they find it very difficult to leave.  If sadness were simply the end product here, then our presence is more trouble than good - but each volunteer returns home to find new ways to help and support these boys, and each of the residents learns to find family when and where they can and to trust that God will send more good people into their lives.

A time for lechon!

What room is there for celebration in the rehabilitation of young people accused of crimes?  Can you turn the heart and mind of a juvenile offender with a joyless program of correctional lessons?  A Bahay Pag-asa, we want to teach the boys that a good life includes hard work, patience, self-sacrifice and fun.  A life without opportunities to laugh, play, and celebrate is not really worth the effort required to change one's direction.  Even the saints knew this.

A friend was once surprised to find St. Teresa of Avila gorging herself on a partridge, "What would people think?" she asked.  "Let them think whatever they want," said Teresa.  "There's a time for penance, and there's a time for partridge."

 So, once a year, we take the boys on a field trip whose purpose is enjoyment, fun, and brotherhood.  Yesterday, we did it again, taking the residents to Campuestohan Highlands Resort and giving them the opportunities to swim, zip-line, sky-cycle and feast on a wonderful picnic lunch including lechon and home-made goat stew.  We were give beautiful weather in the midst of the stormy season, and we were able to see these boys as the exuberant kids that they are...not as "children in conflict with the law."  Knowing that a life well-led has room for fun, joy and feasting is a powerful motivating force for young people working hard to change the direction of their lives.