Children’s advocate appeals for assistance

This letter is about a public service project of Pinoy Helping Hand Specialist, Inc., a TESDA accredited training center for caregivers headed by its president, a physician, civic-leader, crusader, mason, author and lecturer on child and elderly care.

We are aware that the “traditional Filipino values” have greatly deteriorated since the good old days. As the years went by, we have ceased being clear about the standards we hold and the principle by which we judge. As a result, we have suffered a breakdown in areas like love and respect for our family and our elders, integrity, honesty, hard work, and loyalty towards all; commitment to education, belief in peace and stability, and emphasis on obligation to the community.

We must bear in mind that the family is the principal school of the social virtues which are necessarily in every society. Children should be taught to love God and their neighbors. Our children are the most important of all family values. Each one is a miracle, a mysterious tiny bundle of infinite possibilities. Our family values must be centered on the children and if they are valued in the family, then the parents will be valued too.

It is disheartening that as years went by, the ills of society are getting worse and continue to plague the nation. Heinous crimes, drug abuse, rape, kidnapping, graft and corruption are occurring daily that has to be contained with before it is too late. We must be concerned not only with the present but with the future as well.

I attribute this to “crisis of morality.” Since the root cause is “crisis of morality”, we have to redirect our vision into coming out with a new breed of Filipino.

In view thereof, I published in 1997 a guidebook intended for the Filipino family that became a national bestseller. With this book, “Providing Proper Car To The Pinoy Child During The Formative Years” written in English/Tagalog with over 400 illustrations, provides the four essential of child-rearing; Health, Care, Safety and Education. It is an effective tool in school and at home that will contribute to the child’ well-being, physically intellectually, morally, socially and spiritually as well.

In line with my advocacy, I organized a movement aptly called “Crusade For A Better Youth Of Tomorrow”, by inviting concerned and civic-minded citizens to help raise a new breed of Filipinos. This is anchored on the precept that “train a child in the way he should go, and when he grows old, he will not depart from it”.

It is really my unceasing desire that every Filipino household gets a copy of the book, a rare family treasure. I also intend to provide poor families a copy for FREE; however, due to lack of funds I am unable to order subsequent printings. It is therefore, in this regard that I am appealing to the Gerry Roxas Foundation through the Phil-Am Fund to help finance this advocacy to be able to realize its objectives which is of national interest. — NESTOR A. LACEDA Sr. MD, Feadco Bld. 161-A Shaw Blvd. cor. JB Vargas Street, Mandaluyong City