MANILA – Christmas is for the children.
The children of Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Manila were all smiles as a group of students organized a Christmas party in their community, Dec. 22.
JC Pineda, 17, a student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, along with his six other high school friends, brought food, gifts and bags of goodies for the children.
Pineda said he and his friends chose to hold a Christmas party for the urban poor children instead of having their own. “We thought of having Christmas party here (Isla Puting Bato) also to help and give happiness to deprived children like them,” JC said.
Almost a hundred children of Isla Putting Bato experienced the spirit of Christmas.
Isla Puting Bato is a community near the Philippine Port Area in Manila. They are settlers from different provinces. In June, fire engulfed many of the houses. The community is facing threats of demolition to give way to the privatization of the port area.
Luz Solayao, a community leader of Ahon Isla thanked the students for giving the children a party. “Thank you for your effort, it is very seldom that someone comes here and gives joy to the children,” she said.
The students coordinated their party with the Nars ng Bayan and Health Alliance of Democracy (Head), an organization of health workers organizing the residents in the area.
The students promised to hold the same activity next year.
Text and photos by ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
