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Thursday, December 23, 2004
Choir revives kids’ self-worth
WITH the revival of the Cebu City Children’s Choir this year, 32 street children are given the chance to develop their talents and learn to value themselves.
Cebu City Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Children executive director Anabeth Cuizon said the group became “inactive” for several years but they decided to reorganize it this year to give the children opportunities to show their singing skills.
The group was one of the performers in this month’s Paskong Pinoy launching, organized by the Department of Tourism, at the Ayala Center Cebu lagoon area.
However, Cuizon said that since some of the children can dance and will even perform during the Sinulog Festival next month, they might organize a theater group in the future.
They hope to come up with a fundraising musical production that will benefit the member agencies of the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children.
Discipline
Retired police chief inspector Tessie Ayag, administrator of the Community Scouts and Youth Rehabilitation and Guidance Center, said involvement in the choir has proven helpful in teaching kids discipline and in giving them a “sense of belonging.”
“They slowly lose their tantrums. They realize that they are important because para nila, they are useless, mga palaboy,” she said.
She related to Sun.Star that a former member is now earning a living for his family by singing in a band.
Comprising the choir aside from the Community Scouts are children housed in Dangpanan Girls’ Home, World Vision, Kadasig Parents Association Inc. and Nazareth. These are non-government organizations assisting children in the port area and Carbon Public Market.
Linolen, 13, one of the choir members, is a Gary Valenciano fan who dreams of becoming a schoolteacher someday.
Multi-awarded
Being with the choir, he said, is fun and gives him a chance to do something aside from attending his classes at the Bagong Buhay Elementary School.
The group trains under retired teacher Nadia Retuya, who gained fame for being the instructor of the multi-awarded Guadalupe Elementary School choir for 16 years.
Retuya, who is now volunteering her services, said it gives her satisfaction to teach children to love singing, value prayer and learn discipline.
Although street children show the same potentials with the children who are in school in terms of talents, Retuya said she has to work hard in teaching them the lyrics because some of them could hardly read.
“I have to teach them how to internalize the song’s message and feel the song,” she said.
Smile
She understands that their life experiences have “hardened” some of them that it is not easy to ask them to smile.
“I’m happy when they’re happy. Mawa akong kakapoy,” Retuya said of the children.
Ronel, 13, who ran away from home because his father beat him, said he would like to be part of the theater group since he also loves acting.
The suggestion that he join the popular TV talent search, Star Circle Quest, delighted him.
Not all members have big dreams, though, but are satisfied with the simple joys of being with the choir.
When asked what he liked most about being with the group, Cristito, 10, answered with a sheepish grin “snacks,” eliciting laughter from his friends. (CYR)
(December 23, 2004 issue)
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