PHYSICAL pain hurts. Emotional, verbal, psychological pain, more than the physical though, creates a more agonizing trauma.

Worst, some of our residents are sexually abused.

This is the world of our team at the Centers and Institutions, particularly at the Home for Girls and Regional Center for Women.

These are mostly ladies who have dedicated their lives, in a shifting working hours, in managing the cases of children and women in these centers. They have practically lived with them, guiding them in every step of the way, from acceptance, recovery and healing.

Recently, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI implemented the Centers and Residential Care Funded (CRCF) – funded projects. For 2018 to 2019 alone, a total of P63.3 million was poured in for the repair and construction of the agency’s centers in Western Visayas.
“This means that we want our center residents to experience inside the center what they have not experienced outside. This, as we usher them to recovery and healing,” said Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre.
Director Macapobre said that, “This is the first time that the DSWD has implemented such a massive improvement of its centers and institutions. This redounds to the benefit of the vulnerable sector whom we serve-girls who are victims of abuse, women who suffer from domestic violence and Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL),” said Macapobre.

HOME FOR GIRLS

Home for Girls, a center situated in Iloilo province, is a temporary residential facility providing an alternative form of family care to girls below 18 years old with special needs, where needs cannot be adequately met by their own families and relatives over a period of time.

Residential services provide opportunity for the resident to be adequately cared for temporarily under a controlled therapeutic environment with end in view of reunion or reintegration with their family and community to lead a normal life.Currently, headed by Rosalina Lorque, it houses a total of 20 residents.

With the CRCF funded projeticts, the then dilapidated center, underwent repairs and renovation. Aside from this, an Activity center was constructed.

“This Activity Center is an answer to the long need for children to a safe place to play and then a place to develop productivity skills and for the staff and the children to have case conferences,” said Lorque.

The activity center is a two storey building. The ground floor is intended to be a place for play among the children. The second storey, on the other hand, is a place that houses the Productivity Center, Conference Room and Counseling Room.

Other projects include Concrete Fence, Installation of Covered Walkway and improvement of guard house with garage, repair of comfort rooms.

 

REGIONAL CENTER FOR WOMEN

 

The Regional Center for Women, on the other hand, is a residential care facility for abused women and their children established in cooperation with the Congressional Spouses Foundation and Incorporated and Local Government Unit of New Lucena, Iloilo.

The center caters to women and children who are victims of rape, incest, involuntary prostitution, illegal recruitment, domestic violence and abandonment.

Currently, the center houses 18 residents.

It offers protective and rehabilitative services as well as conduct skills trainings to its residents so that they can learn basic livelihood skills.

Among the projects implemented at RCW include Repair of roof, covered pathway, improvement of comfort rooms, Improvement of concrete fence, and improvement of garage and admin building.

“We are very grateful for the funding provided to improve our center. For almost a decade, we had to make do of the minor repairs that we were able to implement. With the CRCF funds, we are able to introduce improvement in the center,” said Haydee Canilla, center head of RCW.

WHAT RESIDENTS, STAFF SAY

One center resident said, “Nagpapasalamat kami sa renovation ng aming Comfort Rooms dahil nagagamit na namin ito nang maayos, hindi gaya ng dati na marami nang sira at medyo barado pa (We are thankful with the improvement of our comfort rooms which we get to use now, unlike before when these had clogs and damage).”

“Malaki ang aking pasasalamat sa CRCF funded projects dahil natugunan ang aming pangangailangan sa Skills Enhancement Training ng mga residente. Mga bagong kagamitan katulad ng gas range at freezer na aming nagagamit sa bread and pastry making. Dagdag pa ang aircon para sa aming Productivity Area na naging mas komportable ang mga residente habang sila ay nasa training (We are grateful with the implementation of CRCF funded projects because this served as an answer to our need along Skills Enhancement of the residents. We now have new equipment such as the gas range and freezer which we use in bread and pastry making. Also, the air conditioning unit installed in our Productivity Area made the place conducive for training,” said Jasmenia Jamero, Manpower Development Officer of RCW.

FOR CHILDREN IN RRCY

Believing that Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) are victims of circumstances, the Regional Rehabilitation Center (RRCY) which houses them also hand improvements.

A major chunk of the CRCF funded projects was utilized for the improvement and construction at the RRCY. 

The projects implemented include Among major infrastructure projects are Homelife Office, Skills Training Center, Perimeter fence, Industrialized Kitchen, Improvement of activity center, improvement of U-Shape Building./dswd6