“Binigyan kami ng bagong pag-asa [ng Bahay Pag-asa] (A new hope was given to us by Bahay Pag-asa).”

This is the realization of Edmond Domagco, 21 years old and just one of the former beneficiaries of the diversion program of Bahay Pag-asa ng Valenzuela in 2014. He was accused of frustrated murder when he was 17 and stayed in the local shelter for more than a year.

He is very thankful to Bahay Pag-asa for it led him to new opportunities and transformed him into a better person.

And more lives will be reformed for just recently, as the Bahay Pag-asa commemorates its 4^th year anniversary, it, likewise, celebrated its accreditation from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as a residential based institution for children in conflict with the law (CICL) with exemplary programs and services.

Ms. Melinda Aquino, Acting Center Head of Bahay Pag-asa, said that the DSWD has noticed the excellent delivery of services at the center and gave it perfect scores per every work area namely, administration and organization, program management, case management, helping strategies, and physical structure and safety.

“Now na accredited na tayo, we will continue ang magandang services and improve other needed services to rehabilitate our clients,” Aquino shared.

Bahay Pag-asa currently caters to 58 CICL whose ages range from 15 to 17 years old. Edmond now works as a feeding coordinator for the K to 6 In-school Feeding Program of Valenzuela City.

Meanwhile, Bahay Pag-asa ng Valenzuela has celebrated its 4^th Anniversary by proving that it is not just a house of hope but also a house full of talented individuals as it showcased the abilities of the children through “Bahay Pag-asa Got Talent”.

“Gusto naming i-divert ‘yung tingin ng iba na kahit sila ay may mga ganoong karanasan, talented itong mga batang ito [We want to change the perception of the people to these children wherein despite of their ‘experiences’, they are still talented individuals],” Aquino explained when asked about the purpose of the talent contest.

The CICLs were divided into six groups.  The 3^rd and 2^nd places received Php 500 and Php 1,000 worth of items respectively, while the 1^st place got Php 1,500 worth of items and a trophy.

Aside from the contest proper, the shelter’s clients also enjoyed games and a boodle fight.

Bahay Pag-asa, which was built as mandated by Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Act of 2006, is a 24-hour institution which provides services and assistance concerning residential, social, medical, education and livelihood to the children who have conflict with the law.