THE LIFE INSIDE

THE INSTITUTION

BY

ANGEL HERMIONE JUBILAN

ARNEL LABAGALA
CHEREY MYCHAELAPITOGO

CHESTER MONISIT

DANE PATADLAS

GRADE 11 – HUMSS C
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. The Institution / The Agency

- Context
- History
- Mission and Vision
- The different cases or problems it manages
- The program services it offers
- The different approaches and interventions it applies
- Various problems it encounters
- The successes it now enjoys

II. The Social Worker

- Her Qualifications
- Her Tasks & Responsibilities

III. Reflections
- Angel Hermione Jubilan
- Arnel Labagala
- Cherey Mychaela Pitogo
- Chester Monisit
- Dane Patadlas
 THE LIFE INSIDE THE INSTITUTION

I. The Institution / The Agency

The DSWD bahay-ampunan called Dampanan Bahay Ampunan is located in

Dampanan, Santiago Iligan City. According to the institution, they aim to help

and guide children at risk which refers to children who are vulnerable or at

risk of behaving in a way that can harm themselves or others, or vulnerable

and at risk of being pushed and exploited to come into conflict with the law

because of personal, family and social circumstances such as, but not limited

to the following; being abused by any person through sexual, physical,

psychological, mental, economic or any other means, and the parents or

guardians refuse, are unwilling or unable to provide protection for the child,

being exploited sexually or economically, being abandoned or neglected,

coming from a dysfunctional or broken family or being without a parent or

guardian, being out of school, being a street child, being a member of a gang,

living in a community with a level of criminality or drug abuse, and living in

situations of armed conflict. They also deal with children who are in conflict

with the law or also known as CICL which refers to a child who is alleged as,

accused of, or adjudged as having committed an offense under Philippine

laws. With the goal of removing any risk of re-offending and reintegrating, the

bahay ampunan offers to help rehabilitate a child to overcome harmful

behavior by developing socially acceptable behavior and life skills, which

promotes or facilitates the acceptance of the child back into the family and

community.

The Dampanan Bahay Ampunan’s vision is to look forward to the betterment

of our country where no one would hunger and none would suffer. And their

mission is to promote equal treatment and to know people that needed more

help for us to be able to provide, to seek solutions for the problems of the

Filipinos.

The cases or problems they encounter or face most often are due to a lack of

guidance as written in their records. Most of the cases were mostly due to

drug abuse as many of the youth placed in their care have been using and

have been addicted to the prohibited drugs without thinking about the price

that will take a toll on their life later on. They then proceed to use these drugs

which strays them further to the path that enriches their lives till they become

thieves. Rapists, and/or any other criminal-like behavior that helps them

satisfy that need that they fill like fulfilling while doing so.

In order to change the youth that is placed under the Dampanan Bahay

Ampunan’s care, they encourage them to do things that aren’t really familiar

to them. They brace the youth by letting them join into different practices that

they’ve prepared and doing the things that make them happy without the

cause of harming themselves or putting themselves at any sort of risk of

danger. The way that they manage their cases is that they first assess to
 adequately determine the interventions needed by the child by using various

and applicable tools like the child and family functioning checklist, social

functioning indicators, etc. The planning and implementation of interventions

that go in each case is that they first formulate an intervention plan using a

total family approach, the interventions, and approaches are determined by

what type of case it is.

Lastly, the successes that it now enjoys aren’t really as much in their opinion

as they continue to face problems and conflicts with the cases that they deal

with but the people in the Bahay Ampunan believe that they are happy and

contented with helping those who are in need – especially children who aren’t

given the care, protection, and guidance they should have gotten in the first

place. According to them, they will continue to move on forward, improving

and continue helping those in need – making the lives of others more lively,

happy, and memorable.

II. The Social Worker

 Her qualifications

Social worker Ms. Cherry Lee Corpuz works at Dampanan Bahay Ampunan as

one of the caregivers of the bahay ampunan. As of the moment, this study is

written, she is 28 years old. She was already working in the field of social work

after completing her studies as she is aiming to help the helpless and the most
 unfortunate ones. Throughout the years that she has been working in the field,

she learned tricks and tactics that help those under her care realize that there

was more to life that make us happy and contented.

 Her tasks/responsibilities

- Sharing different positive stories with the children every night after they eat to

entertain them and hopefully encourage them with accepting change and others.

- Helping and guiding children to improve their mind, behavior, and their well-

being.

III. REFLECTIONS

Angel Hermione Jubilan:

“When we arrived at the orphanage, I felt quite the warmest welcome the children

had given us, their sparkling little eyes and their wide smiles, it truly was one of

the warmest welcomes I've experienced and have seen. It was quite a quaint

orphanage, simple and humble. Though I felt a bit sad when I heard the reasons

why those children were there. They've committed crimes due to the lack of

guidance throughout their years, they also lacked parental support and care

which made them feel lost.

 The workers that handled them truly are heroes for they have helped clear their

case and guided them to the right path, teaching and caring for them.”

Arnel Labagala:

When we arrived at the place, I felt the warm welcome that the children have

given us, the spark in their eyes seeing new visitors arriving. I was not so happy

nor sad, I'm just overwhelmed by how those students/children shared their

stories, we are asked "kuya, kumusta na sa gawas" and that pinched my heart,

we went to a prisoner for youth and not really a bahay ampunan yet, they call it

bahay ampunan for them to be able not to scare the children.

It's indeed a home for changes, basing how children committed their crimes

caused by a lack of guidance and support from their families. The Social Workers

that handled them is truly their heroes, they've helped them to clear their case

and be free again, I was proud and happy hearing their story and I would bring

those stories to inspire people especially the youth that we must learn to educate

young ones for us not to be lost.

Cherey Mychaela Pitogo:

The moment we arrived at the place, the children who were there gave us one of

the nicest and warmest welcomes I’ve received and seen. Their faces were

bright, with smiles as if could reach the highest of the skies. It was a small, plain,

and modest orphanage but it was filled with warmth, smiles, and just acceptance.

As a student who was given the opportunity to visit and interview those who were

there, I feel saddened but also happy as I witnessed how these people went

through rough times and still make it through it. Their courage, strength, and the

view that they’ve developed from the trauma and experiences they’ve gone

through. The way that they shared their stories was saddening because I could

see that they were victims who fell into the hole of crime and not-so-wonderful

things due to the lack of care, guidance, and protection from what should’ve been

their guardians. Sure, they’ve committed crimes, but then again I’ve seen their

side of the story and I understand why. They were victims, not criminals. They’ve

faced what I would consider difficult but made it through with a smile placed on

their faces still. I applaud them for their strength. I also feel happy that there were

people who were willing to help them patch things up in their lives and guide

them to a path where it is not filled with harm or crime.

From then on, I understood that there are more sides to a story. Just because

they’ve committed something we consider terrible, it shouldn’t mean we should

see them as criminals only just because they were branded as one – and

understand that they are human too, with feelings and stories. I am happy to see

them flourish in their new life and I hope their future is bright. Truly, this place is a

safe haven for them.

Chester Monisit:

The children gave us one of the nicest welcomes I've ever received or seen when

we first arrived at the orphanage. Their broad smiles and sparkling bright eyes

made me feel very welcome. A small, unassuming orphanage, it was extremely

charming. When I learned the reasons those kids were there, though, I must

admit that I felt a little sorry. They have committed crimes as a result of the lack

of guidance they had during their youth, as well as the lack of parental love and

care, which made them feel adrift.

The staff members who worked with them were heroes in their own right since

they supported and cared for them as they were being taught and helped resolve

their legal issues.

Dane Patadlas:

When we arrived at Dampanan Bahay Ampunan, the first thing I saw there were

these young men who used to be drug users before they got in the care of the

institution. Their situation now is much better than before, because now they

have someone taking care of and looking after them. I truly admire them for the
friendliness and kindness they’ve shown on our visit. And I hope, more people

would want to help people like them because they are not the culprits of the life

that they’ve gone through but rather victims of lack of guidance from the people

that should’ve been looking after them in the first place.