
University Students and Officials celebrate 3rd Global Peace Festival Day in the Campus by giving to GPFF-ALS Communities
“Helping Hands Reached Manila Boys Town”
As part of the 2nd year celebration of the Global Peace Festival Day ofthe University of Makati, more than 250 students from the National Service Training Program (NSTP) participated in the “Helping Hands” outreach program at the Manila Boys Townlast February 12th, located in Parang, Marikina City. The outreach project was initiated by the GPF Foundation Philippines (GPFF) in partnership with the Supreme Student Government –College of Computer Science Student Council (SSG – CCS) of the University of Makati, the Global Peace Youth Corps Philippines (GPYC), and the San Sebastian College – Recolletos.




The activity started with an opening program and orientation of the students. They were all grouped and paired with all the boy orphans present. The students and the orphans interacted according to the activities that were prepared for them some of the activities are teambuilding, bonding with an educational dimension, awareness with an emphasis on nationalism/ patriotism and the environment, and the highlight of the activity is the “Thousand Hands for Peace” hand printing which the participating students together with their counterpart orphans took part. They were given a brief background on the universal principles of peace by Ms. Sally Quimson emphasizing the importance of the role of the youth in promoting peace in the country. After the morning activities, they all gathered for a “Valentine’s Lunch Together”to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Afterwards, an afternoon entertainment show was prepared by the orphans to give thanks to those who visited them and have given time, friendship, and love for them.
Present during the activity were Ms. Florentina R. Porras, Officer-In-Charge of the Boys Town Complex, Dr. Florida Labuguen, NSTP Consultant of the Philippine Society of NSTP Educators and Implementers (PSNEI), Prof. Remedios B. Placer, GPF Event Adviser, in the University of Makati, Mr. Jedediah Eldon I. Estiandan, Executive Director, GPF Foundation Philippines, Ms. Sally Quimson, GPF – NCR Program Director, GPFF Philippines and GPYC staffs and volunteers, and San Sebastian College NSTP Coordinators who facilitated the activities.
The Boys Town Complex current clients are 183 boys ages 2 – 17yrs. old, 72 girls ages 3 – 17yrs. old, and the complex also housed the 285 old adults ages 60yrs. old and above from the Home for the Aged. GPFF Philippines is planning for a follow up outreach program for the girls section, younglings section, and the aged section of the Boys Town Complex.