NGOs treat streetchildren to dinner, games

TWO non-profit, non-governmental organizations treated 33 street children from barangay Lorega, Cebu City to an outing at SM City Cebu on Aug. 11.

Vibe Youth, an organization with members from Northern Ireland headed by Virmz Largo, partnered with Operation Mobilization Philippines (OMP)-Cebu in giving the street children a rare experience.

The children were brought to Jollibee and McDonald’s to eat at 9 a.m.

Afterwards, the children, accompanied by their elders from Vibe Youth, got to play at Bibo and World of Fun.

All the selected children regularly attended OMP’s weekly Tuesday feeding. Mae Gabrillo, in-charge of the event, said the trip was a reward for their faithfulness in coming to the feeding.

Gabrillo and other members of OMP have known the children for the past five years since they conducted feedings and home visitations in Lorega.

Gabrillo explained that most of the children are tough. But she said “If di ka mahadlok di pud sila manghilabot (If you’re kind to them, they won’t hurt you).”

These tough, rugby-sniffing kids slowly stopped their habit after regularly attending the feeding, Gabrillo said.

Vibe Youth wanted to provide an opportunity for the children to interact with foreign guests and to widen their perspectives of both the givers and receivers, thus giving the children a break from life on the streets.

The treat-a-kid day was made possible in cooperation with Sally Ababa, the field leader for OMP-Cebu.

Largo said it was encouraging to see the kids happy and interacting with the Irish guests. /UP Masscom student Gerriane Rizon