Give children the gift of love and good health at Bantay Bata’s Children’s Village

The coming holidays will again be marked by reunions among many Filipino families but the ongoing pandemic continues to limit social interactions. Despite this, one of the many Christmas traditions that Filipinos will never give up is gift-giving.

During this time, several communities will mount fundraising and gift-giving initiatives to bring joy to everyone during this festive occasion. Among the beneficiaries where communities can help are Bantay Bata and their Children’s Village program.

With healthy living becoming the top priority for all, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) partners with ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.’s Bantay Bata, in providing vitamin supplements and medicines, like Paracetamol Calpol for Kids, Advil, Scott’s DHA Gummies, thermometers, and more to children and employees, who act as caregivers to the kids in Children’s Village. The donation will benefit kids who are brought in for custody and rehabilitation so they can have holistic care and are protected from diseases. 

Drew and Iya Arellano share their lives amid the quarantine and how they protect their kids against sickness

Drew Arellano and Iya Villania are role models for Filipino families. They are especially popular on social media, where millions of followers watch as they raise three adorable children: Primo, Leon, and Alana. 

Despite being a celebrity family, they have an aura of approachability that makes them relatable. This became more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were affected by the quarantine restrictions just like everyone else.

“We've been staying home. Each day, it's the same routine. We wake up, have breakfast, we work out and the kids play. I'm just waiting for them to say ‘so when do we mix it up? When do we go outside?’ So far they're still okay. They have each other and that's an important thing,” Drew says.

Keep your children protected with vaccines this National Immunization Awareness Month

As Filipinos continue to get inoculated against the COVID-19 virus, it’s important to also pay attention to other vaccines that contribute to a person’s wellbeing. National Immunization Awareness Month is celebrated every August to emphasize the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.

This is especially true for children, who are more vulnerable to diseases because of their underdeveloped immune systems. When they are vaccinated, they develop infection-fighting antibodies that protect them from many diseases as they grow up. It also contributes to herd immunity, which prevents the spread of diseases, even for those who are not vaccinated.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), routine vaccinations during childhood help prevent 14 diseases. For children born from 1994 to 2018, it will inhibit an estimated 936,000 early deaths, eight million hospitalizations, and 419 million illnesses.