10/08/2013
BRIEF BACKGROUND OF ST. LAWRENCE KALINGA FOUNDATION
THE CHALLENGE
IT WAS IN THE EARLY 1990’S WHEN THE NUMBER OF NEEDY, ABANDONED, SURRENDERED, PHYSICALLY AND SEXUALLY-ABUSED CHILDREN IN VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO WAS APPARENTLY INCREASING. AGENCIES LIKE THE SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S DESK OF THE PNP AND THE LIKES WERE AMONG THOSE WHO WERE BASICALLY IN-CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF THESE UNFORTUNATE CHILDREN. ASIDE FROM THESE INSTITUTIONS, NO OTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATION HAVE ESTABLISHED AN ORPHANAGE IN KORONADAL TO CATER THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THESE CHILDREN.
THE FOUNDERS
NOT UNTIL A COUPLE WITH BENEVOLENT HEARTS, BY THE NAME OF MR. DELFIN AND MRS. LUCENA DEL ROSARIO, CONSIDERED TO PUT UP AN ORPHANAGE AFTER THEY WERE BLESSED WITH A BABY GIRL WHOM THEY LONGED FOR QUITE A WHILE. IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN THEIR DESIRE TO SHARE WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO OTHERS AND TO STRENGTHEN THEIR HUMANITARIAN ADVOCACY BY BUILDING A SHELTER DEVOTED TO PROVIDING TEMPORARY CARE AND REFUGE TO UNFORTUNATE KIDS. BUT IT WAS NOT AN EASY START FOR THEM TO PURSUE THEIR GRAND PLAN AS FEARS AND RESERVATIONS OVERSHADOWED THEM.
THE SUPPORT GROUP
IT WAS FR. GABRIEL BALDOSTAMON WHO MADE AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN MAKING THE COUPLE’S DREAM COME TRUE. HE WAS ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THE COUPLE’S RELATIVES AND CLOSE FRIENDS, INCLUDING MRS. VERONICA BASILIO, THE CHUI KIM FAMILY, MRS. EVA QUIAONG AND MS. NILDA BALDOSTAMON, TO TAKE PART BY SHARING THEIR FINANCIAL AND MORAL SUPPORT FOR THE COUPLE’S NOBLE UNDERTAKING.
THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
IT WAS IN AUGUST 1995, WHEN THE THEN BAHAY-KALINGA AND HALFWAY HOME WAS BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF A ONE-HECTARE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE DEL ROSARIO’S. IT WAS THEN OFFICIALLY NAMED AS ST. LAWRENCE KALINGA FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED IN MEMORY OF THE COUPLE’S LATE SON LAWRENCE.
LIFE IN THE ORPHANAGE WAS SO SIMPLE THEN. THE SHELTER WAS ORIGINALLY MADE UP OF A MODEST CONCRETE DWELLING WHERE ONE ROOM AND/OR OFFICE BECAME THE SPACE FOR ITS RESIDENT SOCIAL WORKER AND THE HOUSE PARENT. ALL SIDES OF THE BUILDING WAS OCCUPIED BY BED BUNKS OF THE ORPHANS WHILE A LITTLE AREA WAS RESERVED FOR ITS RECEIVING AREA. THERE WAS ONLY ONE COMFORT AREA WHICH WAS SHARED BY ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS. THE DINING AREA ADJACENT A TINY DIRTY KITCHEN WAS MADE OUT OF CUT COCO LUMBERS. WHAT’S GOOD THAT TIME WAS, THERE WAS ALREADY ELECTRICITY THAT BRIGHTENS THE HOME DURING NIGHTTIME. A JETMATIC WATER PUMP WAS THE ONLY SOURCE OF WATER. A COUPLE OF ELECTRICITY-RUN APPLIANCES LIKE A RADIO SET, ELECTRIC FANS, FLAT IRON WERE AMONG THE FIRSTS PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THE SHELTER HAD EVER POSSESSED. MONTHS LATER, THE SHELTER DECIDED TO BUY A TELEVISION TO STOP THE KIDS FROM LEAVING THE ORPHANAGE TO WATCH TV FROM NEARBY HOUSES.
MRS. NELIA ORENCIO, BECAME ITS FIRST OFFICIAL LICENSED RESIDENT SOCIAL WORKER. SHE STAYED IN THE SHELTER FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS. ANOTHER DEDICATED HOUSE PARENT, EDNA BRETANA, TOOK THE RESPONSIBILTY TO HELP SUPERVISE AND RUN IT. QUITE A NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS WERE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE TOGETHER WITH “MOMMY EDNA” AS SHE IS FONDLY CALLED BY THE KIDS. THE ORPHANAGE HAS SCOUTED FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSEPARENT AND HELP. MS. LYDIA ALIDAY COMMONLY KNOWN AS “MOMMY DETING” BECAME THE PERFECT PAIR FOR “MOMMY EDNA” WHO, UNTIL NOW, ARE DEDICATING MUCH OF THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS IN TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS. BOTH HAVE SPENT ALMOST HALF OF THEIR LIVES IN THE SHELTER. INITIALLY, THE ORPHANAGE CATERED ONLY THREE (3) CHILDREN COMPOSED OF BOYET, CARRIE, AND DODONG. THEY WERE AMONG THE FIRST FEW CHILDREN WHO WERE TAKEN CARED OF BY THE INSTITUTION.
THE CHANGE
ALL THROUGH THE YEARS, MAJOR REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE NOT ONLY TO THE BUILDING ITSELF; BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT HAS ALSO BROUGHT ENOURMOUS CHANGE TO THE LIVES AND GRADUALLY HEAL ALL THE WOUNDS THESE ONCE NEGLECTED AND ABUSED YOUNG ONES HAD ACQUIRED. THE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE OF THESE CHILDREN WAS MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE ENDURING SUPPORT OF ITS FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT AND THE MEMBERS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE UNRELENTING ASSISTANCE FROM ITS STAFF, FRIENDS, ADVOCATES AND SUPPORTERS.
AFTER ALL, THIS IS WHAT THE FOUNDERS HAD ENVISIONED AND HOPED FOR AND THAT THESE UNFORTUNATE KIDS MAY TRULY EXPERIENCE HOW TO HAVE A “HOME”, A SAFE AND PEACEFUL HAVEN FULL OF HAPPINESS, LOVE AND AFFECTION.
