With eyes, looking beyond their mistakes, with ears, listening over and above their dreams and aspirations, and with hands, forming ahead their character, children in conflict with the law (CICL) in Bahay Pag-Asa (BPA) Batangas consider the center as their second home.
“Ang mga staff ng Bahay Pag-Asa ang nagsilbing pangalawa naming magulang, maraming salamat sa kanila dahil sila ang nag-aruga sa amin,” said Benjamin, not his real name, 19 years old, one of the residents of the center.
BPA Batangas is a 24-hour child-caring institution established, funded, and managed by the provincial local government unit, providing short-term residential care for CICL who are above 15 but below 18 years of age who are awaiting court disposition of their cases or transfer to other agencies or jurisdiction. It started its operation in March 2016, and at present, they are a Level 1 accredited facility that caters to a maximum of 25 clients.
The center is manned by a team composed of 17 staff that is headed by Ms. Carla Mae S. Calso as Center Head and supported by social workers, psychologist, in-house nurse, house parents, public services officer, and administrative officer.
BPA Batangas envisions a community wherein CICL have improved their psychosocial functioning, fully reintegrated with their empowered families and productive members of the society.
“Bahay Pag-Asa is a formation house, kung saan bubuuin ng mga bata ang kanilang karakter para paglabas nila ay mas maging malakas at matatag sila sa mga hamon ng buhay,” said Ms. Calso.
Its mission is to provide custodial care and other residential services to CICL committed by court at the center; provide appropriate social services that could enhance or stimulate their social, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual well-being; facilitate measures or initiatives to prepare reintegration of CICL to their families; and establish coordination and collaboration with partner agencies, non-government organizations, government organizations, and other concerned communities to formulate and implement after-care rehabilitative services.
The center provides social services, medical and psychological services, homelife services, character-building programs and life skills, socio-cultural and recreational services, livelihood and productive skills training, agro farming, family intervention, and foster placement and kin care group home.
They also partner with the provincial health office, provincial veterinary office, and regional agencies in providing services and organizing activities for the children.
When the pandemic started, BPA Batangas strictly followed health and safety protocols to ensure the welfare of its residents and employees through adopting the guidelines issued by DSWD on the admission process, vaccinating all residents and employees, and implementing a 14-day quarantine for newly admitted residents.
They have also provided skills training on sewing, candle and dishwashing liquid making, and farming to the residents during the pandemic.
WORKING TOGETHER
It takes a village to raise a child. BPA Batangas believes that everyone’s participation is essential in guiding and rearing these children.
“Kaya po tinawag na Bahay Pag-Asa kasi isa itong tahanan. Dito, sa kabila ng kanilang mga nagawang kamalian binibigyan natin sila ng pangalawa o panibagong pagkakataon para maayos ang kanilang buhay.
Hindi ito magagawa na kami lamang sa BPA, maisasakatuparan natin ito kung may pagtutulungan mula sa bata, pamilya, BPA, at komunidad,” said Ms. Kimberly Ann Bay, Psychologist.
Another resident, David, not his real name, 21 years old, shares one of the most important lessons he learned while staying in the center, “dito ko natutunang pahalagahan ang aking pamilya kaya ngayon ako’y nag-aaral mabuti upang maging isang Engineer.”
These CICL, given the chance and opportunity, can be future leaders, government workers, and catalyst of change, sila ay mga batang nagkamali, na kayang magsimula muli.
“Pangarap ko pong pumasok sa army para makatulong sa bayan laban sa terorismo,” said Timothy, not his real name, 16 years old, resident.
As of November 2021, there are 21 residents in the custody of BPA and have reintegrated 5 residents with their families and communities.
