BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
GUIMBAL, Iloilo – A total of 2,000 native children of this municipality received pre-school opening treats from the Garin family headed by former congressman Oscar “Oca” Garin.
Each kid was given school supplies composed of notebooks, notepad, crayon, pencil and envelopes.
This initiative was part of the Children’s School Gear Program, a child-friendly program with the theme Caring for the Young Generation of Guimbalanons under the leadership of Guimbal’s Mayor Christine “Ting-ting” Garin.
Aside from this, they were also treated with Jollibee spaghetti, Chicken Joy, juice and soft drinks.
Former congressman Garin, who shouldered part of the expenses, lauded the recipient children for finishing the 25-day Christian religious education called Catechesis, a program of the Parish of St. Nicholas of Tolentino in Guimbal.
The Children’s School Gear Program and Catechetical Culmination Day were simultaneously held at the Guimbal Gym on May 28.
He said religious education would help nurture the spiritual growth of children between now and their adulthood; would inculcate in their minds that they have souls, the spirit that is immortal – having a beginning but no ending; would spur them to do good, for there is judgment later on – either as a reward or a punishment; and would bring them closer to the eternal Father who governs this world righteously.
Jesus said, “Unless you be born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Oca Garin’s interpretation is that you don’t necessarily need to go back to the womb of your mother to be born again, but to go back to the innocence and child-like mentality (with complete faith and with no element of doubt in their minds). That is being born again. This is the real message Oca wants to impart to us and the children.
“I believe that children should be given enough attention. I strongly believe that everybody should go back to their child-like mentality, the so-called ‘innocence,” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” the elder Garin intoned.
Apart from the Jollibee treat, Garin also gave P500 to each of some 250 kids with perfect attendance in Catechesis; and free uniforms to the religious educators.
According to him, that was the first time he had extended such support to Catechesis children. He would like to do it to other towns in the 1st District.
He added that although expensive, it still paid off because of the appreciation and the deep sense of gratitude he got from the young ones; and that he would pursue this purely civic/spiritual program every year.
Also in attendance during the event was 1st District Board Member Ninfa Garin, Oca’s better half./PN
