FEBRUARY, LOVE APLENTY! February exudes good and warm vibes as ever, so does Laura Vicuna Foundation. Faithful to the people we serve we never lose any opportunity to be close to them and to advocate for child protection and youth empowerment. The February LVF e-news highlights its celebration of the 2021 National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and its partnership with the Council for the Welfare of Children for the launch of the Blue Umbrella Day with the theme, We Must Protect Boys, Just As We Protect Girls. Also in February, LVF closely collaborated with its Child Protection Communities in giving joy and hope to our people essential household needs. Our unbridled SOLIDARITY seryecoupled with formation sessions and spiritual inputs is a mark of love for humanity. This month too the Philippine Association of Social Workers (PASWI) has named Sr. Ma. Victoria P. Sta. Ana, FMA, whom we fondly call, Sr. Marivic, as the coordinator of the newly launched PASWI Circle of Prayers via Zoom and Facebook Live every Wednesday with varied prayer themes and is delicately inclusive of all Religious denominations. As for our LVC girls, grateful for the Scholarship given by the UST Angelicum (REAP) Home Study Program; they have sweated it out painstakingly to come up with a presentation for its Fund Raising Concert entitled “A Heart for REAP”.
LVF JOINS THE NATION IN THE 2021 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AWARENESS WEEK KICK-OFF!
The Laura Vicuña Foundation, Inc. joined the Kick-off activity for 2021 National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on February 8. Sexual abuse and exploitation of children is a major problem in the Philippines. Various studies showed that more and more children are being victimized by various forms of abuses in various settings.In fact, more and more boys are being abused sexually. This includes the home. Hence, the government deemed it necessary to address such issues as it puts Filipino children at greater risk. The Kick-off activity includes an awareness session of boys’ becoming victims of sexual abuse as a soft launch for the BLUE UMBRELLA DAY (BUD). The girls’ national participation with regards to this issue is very important because it does not only make them socially aware but also triggers them to think critically as they raise questions like “May mga institution po bang tumutulong sa mga batang lalaki na naabusong seskwal? Ano-anu po ang mga ito?” [Is there any institution that helps boys who were sexually abused? What are these (institutions)?]. This also is a way for them to understand current issues surrounding them.]
The BUD will be internationally launched on the 16th of April 2021 which will be led by Guyana, India, Paraguay and the Philippines! This is an international day that draws attention to the need to better protect boys against sexual abuse, assault and exploitation. (https://www.familyforeverychild.org/).
LVF’s SOCIAL ADVOCACY: “WE MUST PROTECT BOYS JUST AS WE PROTECT GIRLS”
In celebration of the National Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Week (NCSAAW), the Laura Vicuna Foundation (LVF) conducted an advocacy campaign on #iamBRAVE to one hundred ten (116) parents coming from LVF’s Child Protection Community (CPC) Areas on February 12, 2021. Anchored to this year’s NCSAAW theme, “WE MUST PROTECT BOYS JUST AS WE PROTECT GIRLS”, Mr. Ryan Azucena, LVF Social Worker, highlighted studies which showed that more and more boys are experiencing abuses as well during the session. He also reiterated the various contributing factors to the current issue faced by the boys and further added the psychological impacts of abuses to them. The launching of Blue Umbrella Day in the Philippines became an eye-opener to parents who attended the session as one of them shared: “Dapat po magkaroon tayo ng pantay na pagtrato sa ating mga anak, babae man sya o lalaki. Nasa magulang pa rin ang responsibilidad ng paggabay sa mga anak.” (We should treat our children fairly, regardless of their gender. It is still the parents’ responsibility to guide their children). This session has also drawn realization that our parent-partners ought to be‘Good Shepherds’ to their children and to their communities as well. This is in partnership with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).
LVF 2021 SOLIDARITYserye: WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
Everyday, we find more and more reason to celebrate each other, not just because the occasion tells us to do so, but for the sole reason that each one of us is responsible for each other. 200 children from the LVC and the Child Protection Communities through their parents received PCSO hygiene packs and bags of groceries . These gifts were delivered by PCSO to LVF late last Dec. 29,2020.
PASWI WEDNESDAYS CIRCLE OF PRAYER
The Philippine Association of Social Workers Incorporated (PASWI), in partnership with the Laura Vicuña Foundation, Inc. initiated a virtual divine intervention, dubbed as CIRCLE OF PRAYERS, in response to diverse and complex challenges we are currently experiencing. It already piloted on February 17 and gathered social workers from Luzon, Visayas and even Mindanao! This virtual initiative, which is held every Wednesday at 8:30-9:00 pm, is spearheaded by Director Eva Ponce De Leon, PASWI Executive Director and Sr. Ma. Victoria P. Sta. Ana, FMA, LVF’s Managing Director.
LVF JOINS THE NSC-CRA MEETING
LVF was invited by the CWC to join the National Steering Committee on Child Rights Advocacy (NSC-CRA) Meeting on planning and drafting for the 2021 National Children’s Month theme and activities through Zoom on 09 February 2021.
A HEART FOR REAP
The Laura Vicuna Sisters, girls and staff were more than grateful to the UST Angelicum for initiating a Fund Raising Concert for their Re-entry Education Agenda for the Poor (REAP) Learners in their 14 Learning Sites all over the country to continue the program. The girls with the guidance of the Sisters and staff learned the song entitled “Rainbow” assigned by the UST Angelicum concert director. Sr. Marivic Sta. Ana found it helpful to ask their music teacher at the Colegio de Sta. Ana, Mr. Gulmatico who willingly tutored them. We are very much thankful for this concert initiative which made our bond with UST Angelicum more stronger, in fact, two days after the concert, the REAP in charge Ms. Maiden Grace Gan with Sir Jojo and UST Angelicum alumna Ms. Vanessa came and spent quality time with our girls. It was the first visit of UST Angelicum in our learning site and it came more of a friendly visit more than a formal one. It was an assurance of support for us and a challenge to give our best as our response to this gift of quality education to our girls.
PROVINCIAL EDUCATING COMMUNITY GRATITUDE DAY FOR SR. MABEL
Dubbed as “SAma-samang NAgpapasalamat sa Abang Lingkodat Kalakbay” #SANA ALL this was the last Educating Community Gratitude Day for Sr. Mabel, FIL & PNG Provincial Superior and LVF President, who had faithfully and joyfully given her service and life to each of us in the Provincial Educating Community. It was a fun-filled afternoon, the animators of the program were so creative in making the different FMA communities interact with each other though online, all presented a number of thanks to Sr. Mabel which was interspersed with Kahoot quiz bee and other interactive games. And yes, LVC bagged the 2nd and 3rd place respectively in the Kahoot quiz challenge on ‘how well do you know Sr. Mabel?’. It was cupped with the Holy Mass celebrated by the SDB FIN Provincial Rev. Fr. Gerry Martin then the thank you message of SR. Mabel which concluded with the announcement of the new FMA FIL Provincial Sr. Tita Padron, FMA. We were all filled with love this day and gratitude poured forth from our hearts to God for the gift of our humble, simple and loving Provincial Sr. Mabel Pilar, FMA.
LVF PALAWAN
ROTARY CLUB OF PUERTO PRINCESA TURNS OVER THEIR FARM PROJECT TO LVF PALAWAN
The Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa headed by its president Ms. Lyn Moraga finally turned over the completed grant farm project dubbed as“Water System for an Effective Organic Farming” to the Laura Vicuna Foundation Palawan represented by Sr. Aleth Evangelista, FMA. President Moragara also tapped the City Veterinarian Office of Puerto Princesa and together with the other members of the Rotary Club distributed 7 piglets and 300 heads of chicken to the parents of the learners for the purpose of additional livelihood and income in the family especially in this time of the pandemic crisis.
LVF PALAWAN CELEBRATES THE NATIONAL AWARENESS AND PREVENTION WEEK AGAINST CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION
In the year dedicated to St. Joseph, last February 10, 2021, Sr. Aleth Evangelista, FMA was invited at the parish of St. Joseph Marello in Sabang, Puerto Princesa City, to share an important issue concerning children and their safety. The talk was part of the parish formation among the group Men of St. Joseph. LVF Palawan was honored to share its advocacy of building a culture of protection for children through the simple sharing among the men, mostly fathers, of the parish. The parish priest, Fr. Nemuel Ebite, OSJ and the participants were very thankful for such an encounter as well as in celebration of the National Awareness and Prevention Week Against Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. St. Joseph who protected Jesus and Mary all throughout their life must be true for all fathers, that is, as pillars of their homes, they may guide and protect children and women at all cost.
LVF MALIHAO, VICTORIAS, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
In spite of the threats of the present crisis, LVF Malihao, Victorias City, Negros Occidental was able to commemorate the journey of Jesus’ passion and death through the Ash Wednesday Eucharistic Celebration and Way of the Cross.
Laura Vicuña Foundation, Inc. 