In the spirit of giving and sharing during Christmas Season, the NEDA Regional Office (NRO) XII officials and staff spent the morning of December 23, 2014 with children ranging from 7 to 17 years old who are under the care of DSWD XII’s RSCC.

RD Arturo G. Valero and the NRO XII staff brought various simple gifts and snacks for the children. In his message during the program that highlighted the visit, RD Valero stressed that there are sectors in our society that need help and attention. He said that immersion in realities like this gives joy and fulfilment when we are able to share our time and simple gifts to the children needing love and happiness. The children at the RSCC are abandoned, neglected, and/or surrendered children. The primary aim of the center is to help the child achieve survival, development and rehabilitation.

Aside from the RD’S message, the NRO XII staff sang Christmas carols for the children. Some of the RSCC children presented special numbers showcasing their talents in singing and playing the organ. Ms. Engracia J. Ysulat, RSCC Head, thanked NRO XII for again selecting the children of RSCC as beneficiary of its outreach program for the year. It can be recalled that in 2013, NRO XII also spent some time and shared gifts to the wards of RSCC.

The program ended with a closing message from ARD Noel E. Quiratman who thanked the RSCC for giving NRO XII opportunities to share their blessings with the RSCC children and the office is again looking forward to another activity next year.

During a brief interview after the program, Ms. Ysulat revealed that although the center provides services to children 0-6 years old, some of the RSCC wards are as old as 17 years old because after they were accepted in the center, they were later found out to be suffering from various ailments and disabilities. They could not be eligible for adoption by foster parents until such time they can be well-managed. Ms. Ysulat also added that since the center does not have the capability to manage them, children with special needs were enrolled at the Koronadal City Special Education School. (Ian Rowe Giron, FAD)