Written by Narciso Rafael Torres
Bullying, bad weather, and bad eating habits—experiences that are sadly all too common among Filipinos today. Virtually everyone can recall a time they were bullied at school or in their workplace—or, sadly, even within their own households. The abundance of fast food and junk food in the Philippines needs no introduction, as names such as Jollibee and Chippy have become inseparable from the Filipino identity itself—almost as inseparable as the ever-worsening storms that wrack the country every year. How, then, do we address these problems?
In Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City, the clerks and interns of St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine – William H. Quasha Memorial (SLMCCM-WHQM) have come up with some solutions. For the month of September, new programs tackling different and timely issues are lined up. On September 23, 2022, the Kid Lakas project, a longstanding program of SLMCCM clerks and interns for the students of Old Balara Elementary School, will be returning for an all new adventure entitled, “Adventures ni Kid Lakas: Kid Lakas vs. Bullyntina”, an educational and interactive session on how to effectively handle bullies. On September 24, Para sa Old Balara will host KKK Kontra Sakuna: Kalusugan, Kaligtasan, at Kahandaan, which will teach residents about what commonly used terms such as alert levels mean, and how best to prepare for them. Finally, on September 25, Project Benta Box: Ang Benta ng Bayan will be held, which will teach parents of the community how to prepare delicious, healthy, affordable lunchboxes for their children.
