Tuloy sa Don Bosco School

      For their education, the children were sent to nearby public schools. However, since most street children are overage by the time they start schooling, many of them dropped out due to embarrassment, being the biggest kids in class. To address this concern, Tuloy deemed it necessary to offer its own non-formal education program.

      With the help and approval of the Department of Education, Tuloy designed a curriculum especially for street children. Through Tuloy´s in-house education program, street children can learn basic education (elementary and high school) in five years. They can take up skills training and Vocational Technology courses on their sixth year. Voc-Tech courses available are Automotive, Electrical, and Refrigeration and Airconditioning Technology. Students undergo on-the-job training in sponsor companies and take up a test administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to be certified as third class technicians.

      After the school opened in 1997, Tuloy was able to serve more, accepting non-resident clients from very poor communities and other street children centers. The school could accommodate a maximum of 230 students.

      In school year 1999-2000, the school first accommodated female students by offering them its bag-making course.

Tuloy´s Nature Therapy Center in Majayjay, Laguna

      In 1998, an anonymous donor gave the Foundation a 4.7-hectare land in Laguna. Surrounded by rice patties, and filled with coconut trees, the land was an ideal spot for nature lovers. Tuloy developed it into a Nature Therapy Center. Having been exposed to crowded, polluted and harsh environments as street children, it is a welcome change for the kids to be exposed to the beauty of nature and its healing power. The Center also offers them the chance to learn an alternative livelihood (farming/agriculture). Its livestock and vegetable gardens help augment Tuloy´s food supply.

Tuloy sa Don Bosco Streetchildren Village

      For five years, Fr. Rocky searched for a location for the Streetchildren Village. He looked in nearby provinces since there were no big parcels of land available in Metro Manila. But none of the areas he visited seemed right.

      In 1998, Fr. Rocky finally found a perfect location for his dream. Apart from being 4.5 hectares, it was also in Metro Manila. The Department of Social Welfare under the leadership of Secretary Lina Laigo during the term of President Fidel V. Ramos gave the piece of land to the Foundation via a 50+50 year lease. Located in Alabang, this land was the site of a Government-run street children center, Lingap Center. After land was turned over to Tuloy, the children of Lingap were also entrusted to the Foundation.

      In July 2001, after a few years of development, Tuloy was able to partially open the Village. The Foundation moved to its new home, bringing its 132 residents, including its first batch of 13 girls, to Alabang. Meanwhile, Tuloy turned over its old home in Makati to Don Bosco Parish so they can run their own program for street kids.

      Upon completion, the Village can accommodate 800 to 1000 residents and non-residents. The Village will have the facilities needed for their complete rehabilitation (including 16 residential areas, school, central cafeteria, sports and recreation center, chapel, volunteers human development center, and staff house). When Tuloy moved to the Village, only the school building, two workshops, and five houses were constructed.

      The Village was inaugurated on December 3, 2001 with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Guest of Honor. At the time, six houses were already operational.

      When the school in Alabang first opened on July 2001, it accepted boys and girls in all levels and also served children coming from more poor communities. It accommodated up to 350 male and female enrollees, consisting of residents, non-resident street children from other Centers, and out-of-school youth from Makati , Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and other nearby areas. A new Voc-Tech course, Baking, was also offered. The following school year, the Electrical Technology course was expanded to included Electronics as well.

      Tuloy increased its population in 2003, accommodating over 500 resident and non-resident wards.

      Today, construction is still ongoing and about 50% of the Village is completed. Currently, four houses are under construction.

Tuloy celebrated its 10th year of service on December 3, 2003. Click here for more information on this event and to view related photos.

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