Rows of children used kites and tote bags as canvases for their creativity, painting colorful patterns, favorite shapes, and personal designs as volunteers brought a different kind of outreach activity to a remote community in Barangay Cabadiangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
The activity was part of the 14th outreach program of the Hiraya Volunteers Organization (HVO), held at Gil Montilla National High School (GMNHS)-Cabadiangan Extension–Can-arao Annex on Saturday, June 6, benefiting nearly 200 people through games, raffle draws, food-sharing activities, and the distribution of school supplies, slippers, toys, and relief goods.
Project lead Nimrod Pillones told Brigada News FM on Monday, June 8, that the activity, featuring kite- and tote-bag painting sessions, was designed to give children in remote communities an opportunity to express themselves through art while making the experience more engaging and memorable.
“Kite painting and tote bag painting activities are part of the engaging activities for children in remote areas,” Pillones said.
Pillones said that the kite-painting activity supports Sipalay City’s identity as the Kite Tourism Capital of the Philippines while also fostering creativity among young participants.
The tote bag painting activity, meanwhile, allowed children to personalize reusable bags that were later filled with slippers, toys, school supplies, and other gifts distributed by the organizers after the program, he said.
Beyond distributing assistance, the outreach sought to create meaningful experiences for children in geographically isolated communities through activities that encourage imagination, participation, and self-expression.
Since launching its outreach initiatives in 2020, HVO has conducted 14 outreach programs across Sipalay City.
Four of these were school-based activities that reached around 470 participants, while 10 community outreach programs benefited about 520 residents in various barangays and sitios.
Pillones said the organization hopes to expand its reach further in the coming years.
He added that the group wants to ensure that more children, particularly those in underserved communities, will have opportunities to participate in creative, educational, and community-building activities.
The outreach program was made possible by individual donors, local businesses, community partners, the Sipalay City Tourism Office, the Barangay Mambaroto Council, and the local government of Sipalay City.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.