60 INDIGENT KIDS GET GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS
Cebu Provincial Police Office also treated another group of children to a costume party in their headquarters where they were also given gifts and prizes by police officers.
Eager children posed with the police officers of the Parian Police Station in Cebu City during a gift-giving and feeding program in the gymnasium of Barangay Zapatera yesterday morning.
Senior Insp. Narrolf Tan, Parian Police Station chief, said the activity was part of their intervention for vulnerable children so they will not get involved in illegal drugs and other crimes.
“We want to make the children happy and to remind their parents that we will go after them if they won’t become proper role models,” he said.
A total of 60 children who were accompanied by their parents participated in the program, which was part of Tan’s annual Christmas tradition.
“We asked for a list of children who belonged to the poorest of the poor from the barangay and they were the ones to whom we gave gifts and lunch,” he said yesterday.
Erlinda Ople, 43, who works as a candle vendor, came to the event on behalf of her five-year-old grandson, who missed the activity because of fever.
“We’re not afraid of the police officers. We appreciate what they are doing to reach out to us,” she said.
Police officers from the station entertained their guests with dance presentations.
They also sang with the children who attended the party, which had a theme “Protektahan ang mga bata. Sila ang atong ugma. (Protect the children. They are our future).”
Costume party
In the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), Senior Supt. Edgar Allan Okubo, provincial director, also hosted a children’s costume party.
Children dressed up in superhero suits paraded in the CPPO grounds to the amusement of the guests.
“Christmas is for the children. They should be the ones who should enjoy because we are old and our joy is to see them happy,” Okubo said.
Among the participants was three-month-old Rayquil Khalia Precia, who was dressed as Supergirl.
The children were then given prizes and gifts.
The Police Regional Offfice (PRO) 7 also held their Christmas party yesterday in their headquarters in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr.
“Let’s enjoy the holidays. We will make sure that the holidays will be peaceful and happy,” said PRO 7 Director Chief Supt. Jose Espino.