MANILA, Philippines - In realizing that discarded water bottles can be turned into musical instruments, a group of former street children are also rediscovering their self-worth.

For the past few months, some 100 boys under the care of Pangarap Foundation—a Pasay City-based organization that provides shelter and education to poor children—have been learning to make music using empty water containers.

The “Aquadrummerz” are under the supervision of two volunteers, one of whom used to work as a web content editor until she got tired of a convenient but empty life. The other is a famous percussionist who advocates the use of recycled plastic bottles to make music.

Thirty-four year-old Cecille Artates first became active with volunteer group Hands On Manila in 2004. This was right after she grew weary of spending her salary and her weekends going to the mall and watching movies.

According to Artates, “I got tired of doing nothing meaningful.”

Since she played basketball in college, she volunteered to supervise a sports program for the children of Pangarap Foundation, a partner of Hands On Manila.

Artates said her weekly Saturday meetings with the children gave her a “sense of fulfillment” to the point where she would even go on leave from work just to spend more time with her “wards.”

It was after meeting other volunteers who were members of a world music band that Artates wondered: Can music be used as a form of therapy for these children who had been exposed to violence on the streets?

Her friends referred her to percussionist Paul Zialcita, a member of the Pinikpikan-Kalayo Band. Zialcita, popular among local fans of world music for his unique mixture of martial arts and percussion, is a son of Parañaque Rep. Ed Zialcita.

Artates said she left Zialcita a message on his Multiply (a social networking site) account. He responded and started training the children in November 2008.

Zialcita said he has been using discarded water bottles for his music since 2000 after what he described as a “cosmic accident.” One day, he accidentally tapped on a half-filled drinking water bottle and was amazed by the sound it produced.

Since then, he has given up professional drum instruments in favor of discarded water bottles and two recycled trash bins which he always brings to his gigs.

Holding a water bottle, Zialcita said: “This is a real drum and it just happens to be a bottle.”

Zialcita’s advocacy snugly fitted Artates’ vision as well as her limited budget. Artates said that while only rich people can afford expensive music drums, it is easy for poor people to recycle used water bottles as music instruments.

There was just one problem, however. Where on earth were they going to find 100 empty bottles for the boys in the shelter?

The good thing about volunteerism in the country is that it hooks you up to a wide network of people willing to help, Artates said. Coca Cola Philippines promptly donated some 100 water bottles it was about to dispose of.

When they were first introduced to their “musical instruments,” the children were amazed at how the bottles could produce good music. The novelty also aroused their interest.

Soon, they were learning how to focus, having to listen to Zialcita’s instructions. To perform as a group and produce uniform sounds, the children also learned discipline, Artates said.

Zialcita said: “These children also help one another during practice because if one of them cannot keep up with the beat, everyone will feel it.”

Fifteen-year-old Russel is one of the group members who have already performed in voter education concerts. He has been staying in the Pangarap shelter for almost two years.

Though his family was in Antipolo City, he was rescued in Cubao, Quezon City, where he said he got hooked on sniffing solvent and marijuana.

In the shelter, he learned to dream of better things. “I want to finish my studies because I want to help my family,” Russel said. The eldest of seven children, he was only 11 when his father died.

Tapping his fingers on an old bottle where he has written his name, Russel said, “It sounds good. You just have to listen carefully and you will learn quickly.”

Since their first performance as a marching band for a walkathon in March, the boys have played their old water bottles on four other occasions, including the voter education concerts “365 Days To Change” by the group Artists Revolution and the “Register and Vote Concert” by the group of Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

Zialcita is pleased that the former street children have “outdone themselves.”

He said, “These children represent a sector in our society who also wants to be heard. I want them to be heard through their music. I want them to feel proud of themselves.”