WISH UPON A STAR. The Oriental Negros Children's Advocacy Network (ONCAN) in partnership with Robinsons Place shopping mall in Dumaguete is targeting 250 indigent children from insurgency-affected areas to benefit from the “Wish Upon A Star” program this Christmas. The annual Christmas tree-lighting and launching of the program was held on Friday (Nov. 15, 2019) at the shopping mall's lobby. (Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)
DUMAGUETE CITY - The “Wish Upon A Star” program of the Oriental Negros Children’s Advocacy Network (ONCAN), along with its partners and donors, continues to benefit indigent grade school children from different communist insurgency-affected areas in the province of Negros Oriental.
Marietta Jambora, who heads the ONCAN, said on Tuesday with 250 children identified as beneficiaries in this year’s activity, the total number has now reached 25,000 since the program was launched in 2010.
ONCAN is an umbrella network of groups advocating for the rights and welfare of children. It seeks to “fulfill the Christmas wish” of each child on its list yearly, in partnership with the Robinsons Place shopping mall here, the Philippine Army and Philippine National Police.
The Philippine Army identifies 250 poor children from conflict areas who are six to eight years old. Their names and their Christmas wishes and other family background information are then submitted to ONCAN.
ONCAN, in turn, will print the photo of each child, with his or her name, age, and wish on a paper, to be attached to a star ornament. The stars are later on hung on a Christmas tree at the lobby of the Robinsons Place mall, Jambora said.
Regular sponsors and others who are interested would pick a star or stars, depending on how many children they would like to help, and make the kids' wishes come true by buying what the child hopes for this Christmas, she added.
The stars that have been chosen will be transferred to another Christmas tree next to the first one.
Some of the children’s wishes include toys, school shoes, backpacks, and clothes, among others.
During this past weekend, the ONCAN and Robinsons Place launched this year’s "Wish Upon A Star" with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the mall lobby and a short program and gift-giving to 10 pre-school children from Calindagan and Tinago.
Lea Manuela Lopez, mall operations officer, said they are happy to be chosen as a partner and provide the venue for the outreach program that not only brings joy to the children but also because it is part of their corporate social responsibility.
“Actually, we are getting stronger each year with our commitment with ONCAN for the poorest of the poor children in the mountains, and hopefully we can do this in another 10 more years,” she said.
Jambora said on Dec. 15, the Philippine Army will bring the children from the conflict areas, mostly remote and hinterland barangays, to the mall for the “meet and greet” with the kind-hearted donors and for some activities, such as providing them with meals and games.
The PNP will also be on hand to help out on this day, she said.
She thanked the sponsors for their support, noting that while the limit for the wishes of each child is up to only three, some sponsors have given more.
Over the years, regular sponsors for the “Wish Upon A Star” continue to increase and Jambora thanked them for their whole-hearted support, noting that a wish come true for the children means so much to them especially at Christmas time.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1086548
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