Child sponsorship letter from the SOS Children's Village Cebu, Philippines

Update from Winter 2007 for child sponsors

Dear Friend,

A whole year passed and it is a great pleasure to greet you again as a valuable and important member of our world-wide family whose kind support helps us to provide a better environment here in SOS Children’s Village Cebu. Our total population now is 109 children in the Children’s Village and 26 youths in the Youth Facility. So, we are very happy to share with you the recent developments that took place in 2007.

During the first quarter of the year, the whole family was in blissful atmosphere with different activities in each month. It started in January with the transfer of four (4) boys to the Youth Village. Prior to the formal transfer, these youths were prepared for their eventual transfer by orienting them on the different stages of development and by requiring them to sleep at the Youth Village every weekend. This is for them to build rapport, bonding and camaraderie with their older brothers. The turn-over ceremony was well attended by the entire SOS Cebu family with each SOS mother imparting words of wisdom, encouragement and values-laden messages to the four young men. In response, each young man acknowledged the wishes of their “Nanays”.

For February, the entire family celebrated the birthday of Mrs. Linda Lu, proprietress of the 3L Catering Services. She was accompanied by her friend Dr. Jojo Lim who also celebrated his birthday that month. Both celebrants received the customary birthday program prepared by the mothers, aunts, co-workers, children and youth. It was also in February when Roy, our very own youth boy, was recognised and received the “Most Valuable Player Award” (MVP) when the youths joined the basketball tournament sponsored by the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation. For March, aside from the graduation ceremonies, CV Cebu was visited in an immersion activity by the Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, an international school who caters international studies to deserving students around the world.

In joining the rest of Christendom in April, about sixty of our young men actively participated and led the celebration of the “Via Crucis” (Way of the Cross) at the Celestial Gardens. This is to celebrate the beginning of the Lenten Season.

Summer activities

For the lighter side of the summer, some fifty (50) children enjoyed the weeklong summer camp in Oslob that had about 1,000 children-participants under the umbrella organization of the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children headed by the First Lady of Cebu Mrs. Margot Osmeña.

May is the month of the much awaited National Elections, and our young people actively exercised their right to suffrage during the last election for Senatorial, Gubernatorial and Mayoral posts. By and large, all of them voted according to their conscience with guided evaluation of the qualifications of each candidate. Their candidates for the mayoral and council slate emerged victorious with a big margin over the other candidates.

This year’s Sports Festival was the first of its kind considering that everybody—Nanays, Co-workers, Aunts, children and young people participated actively in all the games. The culmination of the activity was done at the beach that doubled as the family outing.

The month of June were anticipated by activities like the Father’s Day celebration that surprised the fathers of our village namely, Tio Diosdado Alforque (Village Master), Kuya Edmund Colonia (Youth Director), Kuya Penioso Pagalan (Youth Educator), Kuya Ruben Quimbo (Village Driver) and the father of all the fathers, Tatay Dan Latonio. It gave us the opportunity to thank them for their fatherly love and support.

Other activities for June included the care conference for the admission of the five children in our care and the village educator attended the General Parents-Teachers Community Association meeting of Talamban Elementary School where most of our elementary students are enrolled. Also, the celebration of the International Day was moved to June 30. Thanksgiving Mass officiated by SOS Cebu Board Member, Rev. Fr. John Velarde opened the day’s activities following the blessing and inauguration of the three (3) Mother’s Retirement Homes, installation of the new mother in House No. 1 and the launch of the commemorative book, Selfless Love. Our village welcomed prospective donors as they were ushered to the twelve houses and dined together with the families.

Time to celebrate

For August, activities in the village included immersions of students from Sacred Heart School-Jesuit and from Eiko Gakuen High School. An outreach program hosted by the students from Cebu Doctors’ University was well appreciated by the village. Fifty (50) children and some young adults watched the opera “Les Miserables” performed by the talents of RYPIT (Repertory of Young Professionals in Theater). Another performance was also watched by thirty (30) children and aunts, a piano concert courtesy of the Arts Council of Cebu. The PFR Team with youth Floreza attended RAFI’s Young Minds Academy awards night. Youth girl Gypsy, who is elected president of the children sector of BCPC, attended the health and freedom orientation conducted by the League of Business Leaders. A free dental service for the entire SOS Cebu family was given by the Ruiz and Beauty Health Care Training Institute Inc. caregivers thru the Cebu Dental Society. A presentation by the children was presented as a show of gratitude.

The activities in September involved the weekly Chiro Youth Movement activity and feeding program of Fr. Jongjong Florido’s underprivileged parishioners. The various meetings were also attended by the staff and children. Youth boy, Mark Ray, attended the FUEL meeting by Chiro Youth Movement. An Annual Physical Examination conducted by Stanford Laboratory was provided for the staff here in the children’s village. The Youth Educator attended a meeting of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC). Also, the Senior Social Worker participated, together with selected youths and children, in the parade initiated by the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children. Some of the youths participated in the bloodletting program Regional Blood Coordinating Council (RBCC).

For the rest of the year, more activities happened to enrich the talents of our children and interact more with the local community by joining in local celebrations and festivities. This Christmas season is another busy month for us as we transpire presentations and fund raising events, riding in the Yuletide Season. We will be inviting our local friends, sponsors and benefactors to grace our events, as our way of thanking them for their unwavering support.

On behalf of the entire SOS Cebu family, we warmly greet you, A TRULY BLESSED CHRISTMAS & A GRACE-FILLED NEW YEAR!

With our heartfelt wishes and thanksgiving,

Danilo Latonio
Project Director