By J Robbie Fabian
Consultant/ABS CBN Foundation
Ten years ago ABS CBN Foundation established Bantay Bata to rescue abused Filipino children. What started as an effort to respond to the needs of a few children in need has now become one of the most effective programs in the forefront of the effort to protect the interests of children in the Philippines.
Bantay Bata is also the most widely supported cause in the
Since Batay Bata’s inception in 1997, the number of children rescued every year has dramatically increased. We now receive about 28,000 calls and tips for help a year through the 24-hour hotline—approximately 75 contacts per day. In December 2006, we rescued our 186,000th child.
In the worst cases Bantay Bata assists the Philippine Department of Social Welfare to extract children away from their abusive environments. These children are brought to the Children’s Village where they are provided extensive nutritional, educational and psychological intervention in a live-in, home-like environment before reuniting them back into society.
The Children’s Village is a six-cottage property situated in acres of donated land in the
To commemorate our 10th anniversary, we invite you to join the Friends of Bantay Bata this year in support of the efforts of the Children’s Village. We are creating a
We would be honored to count you as one of the 50 members of the Los Angeles Host Committee. We also invite you to a special reception for members of the Committee to meet with Gina Lopez on Saturday, April 21, 5 pm, at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Los Angeles—333 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90071.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Los Angeles Host Committee and to the Bantay Bata family. Please call Robbie Fabian at (310) 657-5911 to confirm your attendance.