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DOJ, agencies give P270K aid to children battling cancer

Alvin Murcia · Oct 31, 2026, 12:44 PM

Artist Janet Ballacer gladly shares the oil pastels with a young cancer patient during a unique event of the Manila Clock Tower Museum dubbed ‘Art Therapy for Kids Battling Cancer’ at the museum in Manila City Hall. This event provided art therapy to at least 30 pediatric cancer patients from Philippine General Hospital and National Children’s Hospital. — PHOTOGRAPH BY KING RODRIGUEZ FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE

The Department of Justice (DOJ), together with its attached agencies and participating offices, raised approximately ₱270,690 worth of donations for children undergoing cancer treatment and their families at Bahay Aruga in Ermita, Manila, as part of the 37th National Statistics Month (NSM) celebration.

Bahay Aruga serves as a free halfway house for pediatric cancer patients and their guardians who travel from different provinces to seek treatment at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). It provides temporary shelter and support throughout their medical treatment.

For the second consecutive year, the DOJ participated in the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) Outreach Program, providing medical and supplementary supplies, food and nutritional provisions, gift certificates, and hygiene and personal care items.

The Evaluation and Statistics Division (ESD) of the DOJ's Planning and Management Service led the collection and consolidation of cash and in-kind donations from central office units, local prosecution offices, and attached agencies.

The consolidated donations were turned over to Bahay Aruga on Oct. 15, 2026, during a ceremony organized by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

“This is the kind of service that we owe to the people. Justice is also found in compassion. It is found in caring for a child who is fighting cancer. Justice begins by listening to the most vulnerable, and doing what you can to help,” Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida said.

The initiative was held in line with the 37th NSM celebration, which carries the theme, “Tuklas Pilipinas: Statistics as Beacon Towards Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Tourism.”

The DOJ recognized the contributions of the following participating offices and agencies: Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), Public Attorney's Office (PAO), Offices of Undersecretaries Jose R. Cadiz Jr. and Norman Ian R. Dato, Office of Assistant Secretary Maria Elisa B. Germar, Witness Protection Security and Benefit Program, and Office for Competition.

Other contributors included the ESD; Regional Prosecution Offices II, III, V, and XII; Provincial Prosecution Office of Benguet; and City Prosecution Offices of Marikina and Iloilo.

The DOJ said its continued participation in the PSS Outreach Program underscores its commitment to inter-agency collaboration and providing assistance to vulnerable communities, highlighting the role of compassion and solidarity in public service.