2 of 3 ‘bangkang papel’ boys to continue getting educational assistance

President Arroyo may be stepping down from Malacañang on June 30, but two of three children – known as Bakang Papel boys – who she featured in her first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2001 will continue to get educational assistance from government. The Social Welfare Department said Erwin Dolera and Jomer Pabalan will still get educational assistance from government through the DSWD, Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED). “This school opening, Jomer Pabalan will be in second year college at AMA Computer College (AMACLC), where he is a scholar, taking up B.S. Information Technology, while Erwin Dolera is an incoming junior college student taking up Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at the Trinity University of Asia," the DSWD said in its website. Acting DSWD Secretary Celia Yangco said that for nine years, the two “Bangkang Papel" (paper boat) boys had been receiving educational aid. She added the agency even provided the boys’ families with seed capital to put up small businesses to augment their family income. “The government has poured in P372,982 and P206,221 for Pabalan and Dolera, respectively, for their scholarship, livelihood and other support services," the DSWD said. During a recent meeting with President Arroyo, the two boys expressed determination to continue their studies even after Mrs. Arroyo’s term ends June 30. For her part, Mrs. Arroyo instructed the DSWD to coordinate with DepEd and CHED to ensure that they will remain scholars until they finish their respective bachelor degrees. She also instructed DSWD to coordinate with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) so that their parents could acquire other skills through the agency’s technical-vocation education program. A year after the Payatas tragedy in 2000, Mrs. Arroyo ordered the DSWD to sign a covenant with leaders of three people’s organizations – the July 10 Payatas Victims Organization (J-10 PVO), Samahang Tunay na Mamamayan ng Phase II Lupang Pangako (Samahang Tunay) and the Samahang Magkakapit-Bahay ng Payatas (SANKAP). The covenant aimed to provide educational assistance to the children-victims, livelihood assistance to their parents, and housing assistance to the direct and indirect victims. Invasion to privacy Meanwhile, Jason Vann Banogan, the third 'bangkang papel' boy had decided he would no longer avail of the scholarship after finishing high school. According to DSWD regional information officer Jane Casimiro, Banogan felt his privacy was being invaded. "Ayaw niya yung naaassociate siya doon kapag sa school, at parang naiinvade yung privacy niya tuwing hinahanap sila ng media," Casimiro told GMANews.TV in a phone interview. Banogan preferred to exercise his independence and forgo the government scholarship, but was still able to continue his studies in college with the support of his relatives, according to Casimiro. Dreams on paper boats Jomar, Erwin and Jayson, victims of the Payatas trash slide in 2001, had sent their dreams and wishes scribbled on paper boats to the President that year. Pabalan, who was 10 years old at that time, wished for a permanent job for his father; Dolera, who was eight at that time, wished for the closure of the Payatas dumpsite and wished that his family would be given land; while 10-year old Banogon wanted to finish college. [See article on Great News.ph] — with Carmela Lapeña/LBG, GMANews.TV