Parian police holds Christmas affair for kids
Parian Police Station 1 conducted a Christmas giftgiving and feeding program for the less fortunate children from the Cebu City barangays under their jurisdiction at the Barangay Zapatera gymnasium yesterday morning.
The station headed by its chief of police, Police Senior Inspector Narrolf Tan, initiated this community outreach program to combat juvenile delinquency in their area.
The activity was filled with fun and excitement as policemen distributed slippers, food, and gifts to 60 children from Barangays T. Padilla, Zapatera, Lorega and Kamagayan.
Hanaminh Butal, 24, from Bar an gay Zap at era expressed her happiness when she saw her twin children receive their Christmas gifts from the police officers.
"Karon ra ni, siyempre nalipay ug nagpasalamat kaayo nga nakadawat akong kambal og mga regalo", she exclaimed.
The theme for the activity, "Protektahan ang mga bata, sila ang atong ugma", highlights the need to safeguard the youth and prevent them from being involved in crimes.
During the gift-giving ceremony, the guest of honor, Miss Maria Iris Andrino, the Executive Director of the Dolores Aboitiz Children's Fund of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated, imparted to the parents that they must lead by example for their children.
"Dili man na pwede nga imo silang tudloan to become honest pero ikaw diay nangawat ," she said.
Andrino also said that she looks forward to partnering with Police Station 1 for future programs that promote children's welfare.
Tan shared that even before he was assigned as chief of Parian station, he already had a heart for the less fortunate children and that he hopes to secure their future through these kinds of outreach activities.
"This is one of my advocacies when I was still an inspector before...to protect our children," he expressed.
Tan said that aside from sharing gifts and food to the children, the outreach activity is also an opportunity to educate the parents on how crucial their role is in a child's holistic growth.
"Ang atong mga kabataan really need guidance from their parents kay naa ta'y mga cases (of rescued minors) matag gabii," he said.
"We're regularly contacting our rescue operation team during sap ag-implement natoog curfew that's why we really need the parents to supervise them," he added.
Tan said that they aim to decrease the number of reports they receive about incidents involving children.
"We would like to prevent incidents nga ma-involve ang children into being a drug courier or bisa'g unsa nga gamiton ang bata sa krimen," he said.
He explained that young individuals who were caught for committing crimes or nabbed because of violating the curfew ordinance are immediately turned over to the barangay.