Who We are

To be Batang Pinangga, it requires:

• A loving attitude towards every and any child at home, in the neighborhood, in the streets.
• A caring community that provides every child the atmosphere of happiness, love, peace and dignity.
• Developing and preparing the child into becoming a responsible adult of the community so that he/she may be able to live individual life with apppropriate attitude and values.
• Protecting the child against any form of unjust and unfriendly circumstances and situations.

HISTORY

In the year 1990, poverty incidence of the country was at 34.4 percent for a population of 60.7 Million, or approximately 20.8 Million individuals were wallowing in poverty^[i]. In the year 2000, children under 15 years old were at 37.1 percent of the population of 76.3Million.^[1]

The situation of the children confirmed the statistical data. During the 90s onwards, street children were becoming highly visible in the urban areas due to urban migration, when the cities were becoming highly industrialized.  In the rural communities, the children were not in school instead helped out in earning income for food for the entire family, by working as a farm hand, or as helper in the house, or in a store.

The families of the poor were slowly falling apart, leaving the children very vulnerable.  Many children were sexually abused. Many were abandoned and left on their own. Helping these children was urgent.

Thus the concept of Batang Pinangga was born. There must be a place where the children feel safe and cared for.

With the help of donations through contacts in the country the Netherlands, and through the facilitation of the Order of the Dutch Carmelites Philippines,  in 1998, a piece of land was acquired and structures were slowly built to soon become the residential homes of the children.  In 2001, upon approval of the license with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the first batch of children arrived.

^{[1] Moreover, it was reported that in 2015, 31.4 percent of children belong to poor families. The Phil. Statistics Office stated that: “there is a need to look after their survival and living conditions, health and education as their rights, welfare and development are at the core of the country’s social development goals.” (https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/children)}

^{[i] The Philippine government committed to the achievement of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG), in the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, by halving the proportion of people whose income is less than a dollar a day. For the Philippines, it is from 34.4 percent in 1990 to 17.2 percent in 2015. However, according to the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), poverty incidence was still at 21.6 percent in 2015, after 25 years. The prevalence of underweight children under 5 years old was at 26.5 percent in 1990, and 21.5 percent in 2015. More at http://www.psa.gov.ph/mdgs-main/mdg-watch.}

^{Population count for 2000 was at 76.3Million, in 2010, at 92.1Million, in 2015, at 100.9Million. (Source: Philippines Statistics Office at}

• ^{https://psa.gov.ph/content/age-and-sex-structure-philippine-population-facts-2010-census#:~:text=By%20comparison%2C%20in%202000%2C%20children,of%20the%20total%20household%20population.} 
• ^{https://psa.gov.ph/population-and-housing/node/120080}

VISION STATEMENT

The foundation envisioned a just and caring Filipino society, where children are living in families that provide them with utmost care and guidance to be able to grow up with the fullest potential as responsible, productive, just and humane member of the community.

MISSION STATEMENT

“Matag Bata unta Batang Pinangga”.  Every child a beloved child. Truly living to its name, Batang Pinangga works towards enabling every child to be beloved.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Berlina A. Mariñas
Chairperson

Arch. Armund A. Claro
Vice Chairperson

Belinda Burlas
Corporate Secretary

Cristina Muñoz
Finance Officer

Norvelle M. Kyamko
Auditor

Christopher Koppel
Member