PREDA NEWSLETTER September 2002 
Dear Friends and Defenders of Children,
The previous three months have been very busy, active and meaningful for
the work of PREDA and to all of you who are our inspiration. Here is a summary
of the major events from July to September.
Freeing the Jailed Children
The Jail Rescue Project is going very well. Since we began the project three
months ago, we have contacted and helped sixteen children in jail, nine have
been released, the youngest was eight and another was 12. We are still working
on the release of many more. The Rescue and Legal Team of two PREDA staff has
been re-enforced by two young Irish volunteer lawyers, James Nunan and Darach
McNamara, and Kelly Wugalter, a Canadian Social Worker.
Up to 20,000 children and youth are prisoners all over the Philippines.
Teenagers, mostly boys, are arrested and suffer illegal detention for days,
weeks or even months. They are mixed with adult criminals, their rights severely
violated. Most are there because of accusations of petty crimes such as being
homeless (vagrancy) or for sniffing glue ( It reduces hunger pangs and blocks
pain.)
Kids Victimized by Criminals
Some are victims of modern day Fagans who train them to be pick-pockets or
petty thieves. Some of them are in cahoots with corrupt police. When there are
serious complaints the kids are arrested publicly and the masterminds are
untouched. Usually the arrest is a frame up. The police are ignorant of the law
and the rights of children and suspects. They are frequently treated as guilty
before they are even charged and punished with beatings and cigarette burnings.
Children in prison become the sex toys and slaves by adult prisoners and even of
the guards .They have to work to eat. They are exposed to virulent TB, AIDS and
drug abuse. The daily allowance per meal is 8 cents.
Listening to Imprisoned Children
PREDA held a regional workshop for detained children, and brought children
to participate in a national workshop facilitated by the PREDA-Akbay youth
leaders. The children told of their ordeals and experiences of life on the
streets and in prison. Shocking stories of torture by police and maltreatment
were revealed by the minors. During a national press conference in September,
the Tampered Declaration was adopted in the "International Conference on
Children, Torture and Other Forms of Violence". It was simultaneously launched
in 8 countries. A child rescued from her abusers and recovered gave her life
testimony to the media.
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PREDA makes regular visits to the jails to rescue children from abuse and torture. |
New Documentary Videos on PREDA
Following the success of the Irish Television documentary "Taking a Stand,
(copies available on request please send a donation of $10 or E10, or £8 for
copying and mailing). A German National TV station, ARD, came to make a similar
report last July. It was broadcast in Germany last August. Another TV production
is in the works for US Public Television (PBS). On the 21st of September,
another report will be broadcast on GMA, a Philippine television station.
Another Nobel Peace Prize nomination for PREDA
PREDA and Fr. Shay will be nominated once again for the Nobel Peace Prize
for the year 2003 by German Parliamentarians. Fr. Shay is on a public education
tour about the rights of children in Germany this September-October. On
September 20, he was a guest speaker at the unveiling of the Mission (church
agency) photo monument of child rights supporters before the German
parliamentarians. He had meetings with the German Minister of Justice and the
Human Rights Committee members.
The PREDA Child Rescue Team went undercover and poised as customers in bars
and clubs in the Olongapo-Subic area and witnessed young underage teenage girls
being made to strip naked and being offered as prostitutes mostly to foreigners.
PREDA reported this abuse and two clubs were raided but PREDA social workers
were not called to rescue and help the minors.
PREDA Files Libel Charge against American Suspect
In August, the PREDA legal team filed a libel suit against an American
suspect who has been harassing PREDA staffers for years with false allegations.
On an Irish television interview the American falsely accused Fr. Shay. His
adopted son and house boy were accused by his six-year old daughter of sexual
abuse; both are charged in court with this crime.
Childhood for Children
More sexually abused children continue to be referred to the children's home
by relatives and other agencies. There are now 40 children under therapy, care
and rehabilitation. Kelly Wugalter, is also helping with the children's cases.
Schooling continues and most are getting good grades. Last March, one got the
highest award and was named valedictorian. She is now enrolled in college.
The kids are very brave and determined and well prepared to testify in court
against their abusers. Many have won their cases and their abusers are in jail.
The process is slow and the children have to stay with PREDA until it is safe to
return home and their abuser jailed. There is a move to repeal the death penalty
law. This will be better for the children as their testimony will not lead to a
death sentence as it may do at present, especially if it is their own father who
raped them.
PREDA Kids Win Prize for Play
The children are very active in theater and recently won a $100 prize in
Manila for their presentations of the 'Prodigal Child', and 'Creation'. They
were thrilled. They also went with the Spanish youth group to the tribal village
to plant mango trees with the tribal people who are into sustainable organic
farming and growing mango fruit. PREDA assists by donating over 200 young trees.
The Spanish youth were on a training course in PREDA.
The children are very happy in their new home at the PREDA Center Extension
which is safer and more secure and spacious . It was built with the financial
help of the German children's charity Kindernothilfe. The playground is on the
upper covered deck so they can play even when it is raining or hot sunshine.
The PREDA- AKBAY Theater Group returned from a successful tour of Canada
with their blockbuster hit play "The Truth Behind the Masks". The play tells of
the destructive impact of mining by Canadian firms and the trafficking into
prostitution of the displaced villagers. It received standing ovations in many
theaters and community centers. The group toured Western Canada supported by the
Rainbow of Hope Children's Rights group headed by George Bunz. The PREDA Fair
Trade team were there also at the Klondike Festival which celebrated Filipino
heritage. Fr. Shay was there too supporting the tour and the Fair Trade and had
many public speaking engagements and media interviews..
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The successful PREDA Theater Advocacy Group visiting the Fair Trade exposition at the Klondike Festival held at Edmonton, Canada. |
History Haunts Philippine Secretary of Tourism in Canada
The Philippine Secretary of tourism showed up to preside over the opening of
the Philippine pavilion in Edmonton but was miffed when he realized that the
Governor General, the representative of the Queen would open it. He was further
enraged when his name was accidentally omitted from the VIP list. The Secretary
is the former mayor of Olongapo City and for many years presided over the growth
of the sex industry and opposed the campaign of PREDA to close the US military
base and end the sex industry. That was a highly successful PREDA campaign .The
former mayor tried to close down the PREDA Children's Home and denied all
building permits and zoning clearances. We built despite the ban. He was behind
several attempts to deport Fr. Shay . When the Canadian press began publishing
the secretary's background, with links to sex tourism he fled to the airport.
PREDA Fair Trade in Canada
Poverty alleviation is a major goal of the PREDA Fair Trade program. Helping
people to help themselves is the guiding principle. By providing work and
employment in the rural areas, we prevent some of the migration to the city
slums where the children are vulnerable to disease, urban poverty, unhealthy
living conditions and pimps and paedophiles. PREDA finds customers for their
products thus brings prosperity to these impoverished villages. The Alternative
Trading Organizations in Europe import handicrafts and food products at fair
prices and good conditions. PREDA has one commercial importer in Ireland for the
UK.
Trading in Canada
Last July the PREDA Fair Trade team shipped half a container load of
handicrafts and mangoes to Edmonton to participate in the Klondike Fair Trade
days. Mabelle Magno headed the team that went there with English volunteer Emma
Le Beau. It was a hectic ten days of selling but still we did not sell all.
Friends and supporters took the surplus and continue to sell at church bazaars
and other affairs. They also displayed the Image of Angel Annie ,the stick
figure of a child with a broken wing and a tear. (see page 2 photo)
Helping the Producers
From the earnings of the exports PREDA helps the producers organize
themselves and funds development projects in the communities like buying a farm
tractor, paying crippling land debts, provides interest free loans, gives design
expertise and capability training to the producers. The PREDA agriculturist and
community organizer Donard went to Bellisan in Antique the southern Philippines
and helped small farm sugar cane growers improve production methods to improve
the quality of Mascovado (dark brown) sugar. We helped banana chip producers in
nearby Mapatag and helped them improve hygiene and quality . The sugar and
banana chips are exported to a fair trade company in Italy.
Promoting organic farming of rice, vegetables and fruits is a project of
PREDA to promote Fair Trade products. Two hundred mango seedlings at about
two-meter tall were planted together with 162 neem trees. These produce natural
insecticide and protect the fruit trees and eliminate the need for toxic
chemical sprays.
Organic Certification Seminar
PREDA is working in cooperation with farmers' cooperatives in Nueva Viscaya
to help them produce organic mangoes. There were 67 farmers representing farmers
organizations and cooperatives, government representatives. Representatives from
the Organic Certification Center of the Philippine (OCCP) and Social Action
Center of Gratia Plena shared inputs regarding organic farming practices and
certification.
Grameen Bank Funding of Poorest Families
Perhaps the most successful low cost banking system in the world is the
Grameen. Invented in Bangladesh and introduced into the Philippines, it is run
by Fr. Sean Connaughton, a Columban Missionary. There are over 3000
participating families in our province. The loans are given exclusively to
women. PREDA supports this work from some of the proceeds of the fair trading
activities so that those too poor to ever participate in economic activity now
have a chance to improve their lives. They are farmers, fisher folks, village
traders, mango growers. They are helped with a small loan to start and sustain
livelihood projects. They have a 90% repayment rate. There is also a social fund
and a disaster fund to help all the members in time of emergency. This
alleviates poverty on a wide scale and the organizational system and loans
empowers the women. PREDA has given Euro ($)15,500.00 to this project from the
earning of the Fair Trade.
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PREDA youth together with Aeta youth leaders during the Tree Planting activity dubbed as "Mangga ng Buhay, Alay Kay Inang Kalikasan. |
Overseas Visitors
The Fair Trade Department organized the visit of 12 Spanish guests who came
to live in local villages and learn about the work of PREDA They joined many
PREDA activities including the tree planting and the visits to the tribal
villages. Another Spanish Visitor was Cristina Roesl from Intermon, a fair trade
organization. They went to several of our producer groups. Beatrice Bonadiman
from Commercio Alternative in Italy also traveled to PREDA producers, sugar and
mango farmers.
We send warm thanks and prayers to those who have send us donations either
through the Columban Fathers or the PREDA Child Help P.O. Box 824, Sligo Post
Office or sent a check in the mail .We pray harder for those who did not yet
send anything, so that they may do so.
God bless you all.
Fr. Shay, the PREDA team and the kids
