Vice President Leni Robredo recently spent time with street dwellers, victims of domestic abuse, and recovering drug dependents when she visited a shelter in Manila that caters to their needs.

VP Leni went to the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, a feeding and grooming facility for the less fortunate, last Thursday, Jan. 31, together with private donors. Here, she spoke with the beneficiaries of the center, including those who are now devoting their time there as volunteers.

During the visit, VP Leni was able to listen in on a brief life coaching session conducted for the beneficiaries, where they were reminded that self-care is important in restoring one’s dignity, amid life’s many challenges.

The beneficiaries told VP Leni that spending time at the center has helped them regain self-respect, and it is also teaching them to aim higher in life.

The Kalinga Center was established in July 2015, as an initiative of Fr. Flaviano “Flavie” Villanueva, who struggled with drug addiction before entering priesthood. It currently serves its beneficiaries in three phases: bathing-clothing-feeding, education and skills development, and employment and livelihood.

Amid the rise of killings over the past few years, especially among poor communities, the center has also opened its doors to families who lost their loved ones to extrajudicial killings.

As it aims to help uplift the lives of those who are most in need, VP Leni’s office has committed to finding ways to provide support to the center and its beneficiaries, particularly in terms of livelihood.