SP receives ‘best child caring agency’ award
SAMARITANS Inc. received the PANATA Award as the Best Child Caring Agency in the region on Jan. 25, 2018. The award was presented at the 67th anniversary celebration of DSWD Region IV-A held at the BayLeaf Hotel in General Trias, Cavite.
Keynote speaker for the awards luncheon was Undersecretary Luzviminda Ilagan. Director Leticia Diokono presented the award to Samaritans Place cofounders Marc and Marilen Morris and Dulce Alberto-Badong, RSW, the orphanage’s head social worker and liaison officer for international adoptions.
The Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the executive branch department of the Philippine government responsible for the protection of the social welfare of Filipinos and to promote social development. The award is under the PANATA (Paglilingkod nang Tapat sa Bayan) awards program—“Will Serve in Faithfulness” the Country.
SAMARITANS Inc. (Southeast Asia Medical and Relief Institute for Training Asians Non-Government Services Inc.) is a Philippines-based NGO, or non-government organization.
Samaritans Place is the flagship residential care program of SAMARITANS Inc. for orphaned and abandoned children. It is licensed and sccredited by DSWD for residential care, community development and liaison services for international adoption.
“Children have been adopted in Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States and many European nations, such as Spain, France, Norway, Sweden and Finland.” Marc Morris, chairman of the board, noted.
SAMARITANS Inc. received the award based on its model of care, which includes high-quality three-bedroom, four-bathroom homes, and a family-style atmosphere with “house parents” and their biological children providing a surrogate family experience to the orphans. Infants are housed in a single home unit. All are cared for in a “love in action” Christian environment built on Jerimiah 29:11—“ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (NIV).
CEO Marilen Morris explained, “If these were our own children, what kind of place and quality care would we want them to have? Samaritan’s Place is a place that any child from any nation would want to live.”
She added, “They are worth it to Jesus . . . and to us!”
Marc Morris concluded, “This award reflects the good investment of many special people who have visited, volunteered, prayed, worked, assessed, served on the board, donated or simply cheered for Samaritans Place. And it’s a great way to kick off 2018 as we prepare to celebrate the 20th anniversary of SAMARITANS Inc. later this year. Thank you so much!”
