Background and history of activities in the Philippines

The poverty group living on less than US$2 per day make up more than 50% of the Philippines' population. As a result of this income inequality, progress on reducing poverty in the Philippines is slow despite the nation's remarkable economic growth. Children born to economically disadvantaged households grow up and enter society while still lacking education and skills. Children in temporary childcare facilities come from diverse backgrounds, including victims of poverty, abuse, and abandonment, as well as orphans. Even today, it remains difficult for them to find steady employment.

Under an agreement concluded with an NPO active in the Philippines, CITIZEN Group employees (FY 2018: 16 employees; FY 2019: 10 employees) took part in this project in a region that is home to a Group overseas facility. They visited a temporary childcare facility that protects children who find it difficult to live at home for such reasons as delinquency, abuse, and neglect, in order to interact with the children there. Then, on the next day, they invited the children they met in the facility and others (FY 2018: 30 children; FY 2019: 40 children) to a CITIZEN First Watch Project workshop.