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Virlanie joined Congress’ Children Month Celebration

Every November, the Philippines is celebrating National Children’s Month, where children are recognized as an important pillar of society. This year, Virlanie joins Child’s Right Network and the House of Representatives Committee on the Welfare of Children in their initiative to bring Children’s Month to Congress.

With the theme, “Karahasan Wakasan, Bata Protektahan” (End Violence, Protect Children), this celebration highlighted the role of Congress and legislation on child protection.

 

Virlanie participated in the Children’s Month Caravan and Memorial Lunch for children who were victims of abuse on November 20.

On the same day, our choir, the Virlanie Voices led the National Anthem and a doxology by Children.

Virlanie has set up a booth, along with other child caring institutions, from November 20-23 for the Children’s Month Exhibit.

 

Our staff advocated for children’s rights and promoted our programs and products made by our partner mothers from iLead Open Day Center for Education and Training and Mobile Unit.

On the last day of the celebration, our young adult beneficiaries performed their original speech choir piece titled Kamalayan (Consciousness). This piece was a product of their collectively written poems. The original speech has been written in Tagalog, here is a translation of it:


Once I looked up the sky

For me, God’s image turned grey

I have a lot of questions, “what, where, how and why?”

“There’s no God!,” that’s what I believed in.

What’s this black shadow?

Attacking anyone out of nowhere

In the shape of my father, sometimes, my uncle

Every night, they haunt me…

Right by my bedside.

I’ve been wandering around, crying in the nothingness.

While walking, my weak bones have been exposed to the excruciating heat of the sun

I continue scavenging so I can find food.

How do I escape the life I’ve been used to?

They call me Lupin, used to snatching and robbery

Like cats and dogs, the law keeps chasing me

Why is it that no matter how I cover my face

With all the make up to beautify it,

I could not hide the pain

While my body serves to seduce?

The light of my home has finally dimmed

Its foundation has been wrecked, and been waiting to attack

It slowly eats my flesh without anyone noticing

Subjecting me to maltreatment instead of genuine care

For me, life has been unfair

There’s not a bit of love and happiness

Like a prisoner who hungers for freedom,

In this game of life, I am always the loser

Dear Creator,

Why did you give me this curse?

Is my faith inadequate?

That’s you brought me near to evil?

You, do you know who’s the sinner?

All of you, do you know when will I be free?

To the depravity brought

By someone who disguises as god?

Fate has been so unfair

It only chooses what it likes

And it chooses to ignore me

Fate has been so unfair

This is not my sin, but why do I pay for it?

Wait, pay?

That’s me! When I get paid,

That’s the only time they dressed me

I endured all the pain

I sold drugs in the street

I painted my body with colors

And I venerated the drug lords

It seems that my questions of “what, where, how and why?”

Becomes a horn growing out of anger

The discriminating society has been my major problem

My life is at the edge of Death’s scythe

We are only seen as objects

Children who are noisy with no knowledge of their surroundings

For them, our innocence is our weapon

Children are voiceless and powerless

I asked for justice, silence was given

I asked for justice, apology was given,

I’m asking for justice, metallic hands are given

I’m asking for justice, cold corpses are given