Childhood years are mostly remembered to be filled with love and protection. Rich or poor, attachment of children to parents brings joy. From simple kiss to hugs and lavish gifts, depending on the status of the family, younger years have always made a bank of good memories among children.
But this is not the case for 18-year-old Grace, not her real name, who used to live in the streets of Iloilo City. Much of her younger years were tainted with abuse and prostitution.
“I was already a sex worker on my teens. I stayed with a live-in partner who also sold me to other men. He is also involved in robbery cases,” she said.
Grace is currently with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Home for Girls where she gets help through counseling sessions, therapeutic and restorative activities. Aside from this, the department is helping her in her case.
“I was charged as accomplice to an akyat bahay case. I am glad that DSWD is helping me with my case. I never had any idea what I was into,” she said.
According to Roqueta Aquio, Social Welfare Officer, Grace was distant and aloof when she was first brought to the center.

CHANGE
While she never wanted to talk to anyone in the past year, Grace is far different now. In a recent cooking contest which was conducted in the center, she was bubbly and was consistently on top of her team.
Working along with two other resident girls in the center, Grace cooked “ovareta,” a variance of the well-known caldereta menu which has egg as its main ingredient. The recipe won the Best in Palatability award.
“I find my experience here in Home for Girls very fulfilling. I was having fun cooking because it is only here when I have learned how to cook. Life has always been sleep and then eat and then wait for contacts who needed us,” she said.
She said that in the center, she has learned how to cook adobong manok, vegetables, fish sinigang and other menu.
Apart from cooking, Grace said that she is very thankful that she is enrolled at Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).

“I am still in grade five. I know that there is a long way to go but I want a positive change. I don’t want to go back to where I used to be. I want to finish college and with the help of DSWD, I know I can,” she said.
Grace also appreciated that the center’s Psychologist is helping her towards healing. “She would make me draw about my life. She is helping me forget my past.”

DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY
Center head Rosalina Lorque has said that most of the children under their care came from dysfunctional families.
“Their children ended up being abused or as children in conflict with the law (CICL) because of lack of parental guidance and love. The mother of Grace for instance cannot even give her attention and support to her daughter,” she said.
“We have already found relatives who could take her in and give a new environment with love and concern for her. She deserves to have a second chance in life and there is still a bright future that awaits her. Every Filipino child deserves that,” said Lorque./dswd6/May Rago-Castillo