Final.1.final - Tuvilla - Orphanage - Chapter 1
Final.1.final - Tuvilla - Orphanage - Chapter 1
Final.1.final - Tuvilla - Orphanage - Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Introduction
The Philippines has an abandoned children problem. About 1.8 million children in the
country, more than 1% of its entire population, are “abandoned or neglected” [4]. Indicated 153
million children worldwide, ranging from infants to teenagers, have lost one or both parents [3].
Children may be separated from their parents and placed in alternative care for various reasons.
Armed conflict, natural disaster and migration tear many families apart. Other children end up in
residential care because of discrimination: Disability or the disability of a parent, ethnicity, gender
and sexual orientation force countless girls and boys into institutions. Still others may be separated
as a result of government policies that fail to prioritize families or account for a child’s most basic
need for nurturing care – a critical element of healthy growth and development [28].
Children are primarily placed in residential care by their families because they are too poor
to look after them. Families often feel it is the only way to ensure that their children get an education
and enough food and other essentials [4]. Most children in residential care are not orphans, but have
one or both parents alive, as well as other relatives who could care for them. They are likely to be
separated indefinitely from their families and communities [28]. In a certain study, orphans were
classified into three. These are the near orphan, one-half orphan and double orphans. The near
orphan refers to the children with chronically ill parent who will become orphans in the next year.
The one-half orphans are those who have lost only one of their parents either no mother or no father.
Meanwhile, the double orphans are children under 18 years of age who have lost both parents [20].
These children, from birth to 18 years are particularly vulnerable to forced labor,
child prostitution, sexual and physical abuse, early pregnancy and many of them
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
show severe symptoms of depression and anxiety [10]. Adverse childhood experiences or aces
are stressful events such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, parental separation or
When children are forced to adapt to a new environment, they may demonstrate
uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, and depression, leading to learning difficulties if not rectified [8].
As a result of such issues, children who lose parents tend to exhibit risky behaviors, like drug
institutional settings involves the deprived atmosphere not providing sufficient experience to
scaffold normal brain development [6]. One of the most important issues to meet these needs is
a space, at which child grows up. Space and environment can affect physical and mental growth
of children. Estimation of each effective need in growth of child needs a space to encompass all
factors and instruments to meet needs and provide required conditions [6].
BALAY ANCORA’s is in line with the vision of the diocese of Kabankalan towards the
people. As what Bishop Loiue Galbinez said “my heart is next to the children and to the young
people.” The objective of the institution is to provide holistic and therapeutic residential home
care rehabilitation services including basic education, nutrition, and general health care. It is for
all orphans from infants to 12years old which is considered as Abandoned or foundlings,
Neglected, Abused, exploited and children by Unprepared-Parents. When the orphans turn
13years old and above, the orphans will be transferred to other teen-oriented institutions. The
diocese will give assistance and will look for benefactors that will provide Highschool and
college scholarships. Since this is a catholic based foundation. They are encouraged to take part
of being a Sacristan, Altar server, join religious orders, Catechism and take theology or enroll in
a seminary, which is also in line with the Diocese’s vision of producing more priest or nuns. For
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
it is a great opportunity to open children’s lives in service to the Lord in priesthood. They are all
open for adoption / foster family or Residential care / Kinship Family Care or Reintegration. The
orphanage will provide programs, clinics and other amenities that will help the children overcame
their mental related issues like traumas, depression and other life challenges that the children
encounters. Also, the potential parent who will adapt an orphan will be required to undergo
matching programs legally that will help to understand more and for the necessary preparations
organizations and other LGU agencies that compliments the program of the institution.
Commission for the Welfare of the Children, CPCP- Comprehensive Program for Child
Protection, SCPC- Special Committee for the Protection of Children, UNICEF- United Nations
Children’s Fund, and also Independent local foundations like Kalipay Foundation, Bacolod
Boy’s home, Holy Infant Nursery Foundation, Home of Hope, Recovered Treasures, Bacolod
At the same time, the Diocese is concern with the sudden rise of the social issues like
depression and anxieties that may lead to suicide especially towards the teens. They are driven
to help the students not just under the diocese but to all schools how has students who are
The National Center for Mental Health has revealed a significant increase in monthly
hotline calls regarding depression, with numbers rising from 80 calls pre-lockdown to nearly
400, the most vulnerable population is those aged 15-29 [13]. Latest figures from the Philippine
Statistics Authority showed that suicide incidents rose 25.7% in 2020, making it the 27th leading
cause of death in 2020 from 31st in 2019. Some 3,529 cases of intentional self-harm were
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
recorded in 2020, which was higher than the 2,808 deaths recorded in 2019.From 2015 to 2020,
the average number of deaths caused by suicide was at 2,630 [13]. Suicide occurs more often in
older than in younger people, but is still one of the leading causes of death in late childhood and
adolescence worldwide. This not only results in a direct loss of many young lives, but also has
disruptive psychosocial and adverse socio-economic effects [29]. Untreated mental illness
including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others, is the cause for the vast
majority of suicides [30]. The effects of unresolved trauma can be devastating. It can affect our
habits and outlook on life, leading to addictions and poor decision-making. It can take a toll on
our family life and interpersonal relationships. It can trigger real physical pain, symptoms, and
disease. And it can lead to a range of self-destructive behaviors. But trauma doesn’t have to be a
“Now more than ever, we need to promote holistic health, where we are caring for the
A retreat is a chance for an encounter with God, with other people, with creation, with
issues, and within oneself. A retreat is an intentional strategy to withdraw from everyday life
[26]. As the Bible says, all healing comes from God. God can use the medicines and the skill of
the doctors to heal a person. At the same time, He can do it without anybody’s mediation -
without the aid of medicine. That is faith-healing. It is miraculous healing. The only thing God
demands from us in order to receive healing is faith. Faith and trust in God’s love and power [9].
The best place to pray and connect to God is in a retreat house. It is a quiet and peaceful
environment that is abounded by nature setup perfect for contemplating, surrendering and
praying to God without distractions, it is a way to connect to god not just spiritually [27].
When we retreat, it is not for the purpose of just getting away and staying away.
Everything involved in getting away, and all that is done while away, involves coming back with
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
a renewed faith and sense of purpose in our spiritual life. Hopefully we will deepen our
The researcher made some realizations that we need a place of solitude where we can
relax, meditate and retreat. In its simplest form Retreat means ‘to withdraw, to drawback.’ A
retreat is an intentional time away to experience a new awareness of the presence of God. It is an
opportunity to get some distance and see things in perspective. It requires a pace that is unhurried
and conducive to rest and relaxation in order to come back with a renewed sense of living as
Disciples of Christ.
Balay Ancora also offers mental health healing thru holistic spiritual and psychiatric
approach. The institution provides a Retreat and Wellness Center to help people who suffers
depression and anxieties. It provides activities to the participants like students, church members,
Priest and other Catholics organizations who would like to undergo self-realization, meditation
and healing thru various activities like spiritual talks, counseling, team building, support group,
seminars, meditation exercises and medical clinic. They will be exposed more to the therapeutic
ambiance of nature and also has the program to have a social time between the participants and
the orphans. They can also have their own set of programs where they can teach the orphans their
skills expertise, which we believe that it is beneficial to the both parties. By this, we can somehow
give awareness and solutions to the mental wealth of the orphans and also to the retreat
participants.
In this study, it has been tried to consider important factors to create sense of belonging
to the environment in children to design a space for them, so that they can feel to be a member
of society and feel less unsafe and alienation with the environment.
With the above vision, the researcher proposes an orphanage which will also serve as a
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
The study aims to come up with ideal architectural design and plans for the “Balay Ancora:
on providing the best residential foster care that will create a child- friendly facilities,
environmental plans, specifications and that the children know a family life. Also, in meeting the
needs of the orphans that can help them in overcoming the difficulties of being an orphan. The
project Balay Ancora; Orphanage Institution-Retreat and Wellness Center is in line with the social
action project that aims to promote self-awareness and self-realization towards mental health, to
help eliminate the issue of depression, suicide, abandonment, neglection, family deficiency and
illegal adoption.
inappropriate design such as the interior and exterior, dull environment, and unsuitable space
planning and circulation. The exterior of a building that gives an important first impression to the
public remain simple, stiff that give an uncomfortable feeling to the public and this will indirectly
affect their desire to visit the facility [18]. These children lack sense of security in meeting their
needs, lack of self-confidence, lack of expressing problems with right person, lack of being loved
by others and other shortcomings of mental and behavioral problems of these children [1].
In order to achieve the solution this study aims to answer the following questions:
1.2.1.Site Analysis
1.1. Accessibility;
1.2. Magnitude;
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
2. What are the existing building entities, fauna or flora and vistas in the site?
3. What are the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of the site?
1. How will the functions needed in the Orphanage-institution-Retreat and Wellness center
be organized?
2. What is the appropriate site planning for the children’s home and community where the
1. What is the appropriate design functions to achieve a properly built environment for the
1. Are water, electric supply and cellular reception available in the vicinity?
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
2. What other Architectural or Engineering innovations you should consider to achieve green
building?
The significance of the study is to give social awareness about social welfare institutions
that need attention. It will also give benefits to the built environment of the orphans and develop
the cognitive, social and emotional growth of the children users in the facility. It is also significant
as future reference for the design of social welfares that needs space for improvement in the design
towards providing comfort and ease for the beneficiaries and their need of architectural design
This study shall provide information to the city with high regards to the effectiveness of
the development. It will also benefit the locality through various job opportunities at the center that
will help the economy and development of the city. In addition, this will be beneficial to the parents,
relatives and guardians under of the diocese of Kabankalan, the center will be a venue for promotion
of a healthy family, parental encouragement and also to help family under poverty.
This will also provide ideas regarding ways to improve the local parish congregation and
enriching their spirituality through promotion of spiritual encounters through retreats and
recollections by offering a venue conducive for spiritual communion. It will also help in the
successful advancement of the Catholic faith in the south of Negros Occidental and can improve
the personal relationship of all the catholic students, members, clergy, priests, workers and also
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
Bishop of the Dioceses of Kabankalan through the different services and amenities the Center can
offer.
By giving them a home that will promote holistic foster-parental care. They will also be
given opportunity to access quality education that they will grow as better individuals equipped
with the necessary things to be successful and will give them hope that better life is still accessible
This study will be beneficial to the people who would like to have retreats, recollections
and psychiatric counselling. The proposed Center will provide excellent spiritual formation and
healing haven where retreatants could internalize and relax, find solitude, peace and have a spiritual
This shall serve as reference in designing a sustainable Orphanage Institution- and retreat
house. This study can be their source of information in terms of guidelines and other architecture
To the researcher
Through this research, the researcher will gain new skills and knowledge on how to affiliate
healing, nature, faith and people in an institution. This is an opportunity to develop an architectural
design that fits and suit the needs of the users and inspired by the vision and mission of the Diocese
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
The scope of this study “Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institution-Retreat and
Wellness Center” is more concerned with the architectural design of an Orphanage Institution- and
retreat center which located at Kabankalan City. It will also focus on the solution of on-going
concerns of orphanage institution while achieving a sustainable and therapeutic design. The study
will be limited to institutionalized children in the community, retreat participants and to the
depressed students. The study was also conducted by the guidance of the Covid Pandemic Protocol
for the safety of the Researcher and other related persona of the study.
1. The proposed site of the structure is located in a 91,444 square meter lot located Brgy
2. The Study will give focus on how to develop Diocese of Kabankalan Orphanage
Institution-Retreat and wellness Center by making the facility that compliments the
complex institution like the main Admin building as the major provision. other related
3. The facilities in the study are based on researcher’s survey from locals and the
congregation, existing government by-laws, building standards and also based on the
4. The respondents of the research methodology are the people of Kabankalan city, mostly
5. The study is based on different departments data specification and requirements like the
space requirements, number of users and standards as per instruction under the local
government and other Institutional guidelines for orphanage and retreat centers.
6. The institution will cater a total Population of 50 orphans from infants to 12 years old.
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
7. The proposal shall only involve in the conceptualization, designing, and planning that
8. The structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical framework of the structure shall only
9. Moreover, this study does not cover marketing strategies, as well as the operational and
administrative details of the facility, with the latter, only to be considered in the design
process. However, the Researcher shall make a rough estimate of the total project cost.
1. As the present situation shows and from the data gathered, it is assumed that the Negros
Occidental especially with cities and municipalities within the scope of the Diocese of
2. Descriptive research measures are essential to the understanding of the Researcher to its
events like the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also assumed that the chosen sample size of 100
respondents have great interest to the research and the survey results are reliable.
4. The site that is selected is owned by the Diocese of Kabankalan, it is assumed to already
been filled with soil on the selected building area and is relatively flat and is suitable.
5. It is assumed that the Diocese has the Funds to support the project with a total of 50 Orphans
6. The Diocese will utilize their Religious orders, members and school employees under the
diocese for the staff or workers and has the means to hire other related professionals
needed.
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
7. The facilities in the study are based on researcher’s survey from locals and the
congregation. Further, the respondents of the research methodology are the people of
8. The study is based on different departments’ data specification and requirements like the
space requirements, number of users and standards and as per instruction under the local
government and other Institutional guidelines for orphanage and retreat centers.
9. The access road-right-of-way that was donated by the diocese will be based on the
10. The present illegal settlers located at the site will be transferred to a relocation site provide
11. The study will only cover the estimated project cost of this proposal and shall be computed
In order to have a better understanding of the research, the following terms are defined
social, or similar purpose. [1]. In this study, Its a private foundation that focuses on giving the needs
Orphanage. Conceptual. A home for children whose parents are dead or abandoned/
unable to care for them [3]. In this study, Is a special institution that will cater orphans from infants
Retreat. Conceptual. “to withdraw” spiritual retreat is time set apart to be in quiet, rest,
and solitude with god. It removes us from noise and distraction, and into a place of spiritual
refreshing and renewing. It is a way of entering into the presence of god, and allowing him to nourish
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
our soul [26]. In this study, it is a catholic approach event that the institution offers with talks, group
activities and religious seminars that can give spiritual and mental healing benefits to the
participants.
individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his or her community [32]. In this study, Is
the mental state of a person that influences one’s personality, character, attitude, mood, personal
helping students or employees thrive in their environments by helping them deal with stress,
understand proper nutrition for their bodies, and advise them on general health and well-being.
Sometimes, this will include a health clinic staffed with physicians, but oftentimes it will be a
separate operation [1]. In this study, It is an institution that focuses more on the mental well-being
of the orphans and retreat participants with psychiatric interventions and meditation exercises.
punching, kicking, biting, burning or any other act, which causes physical pain [3]. In this study,
This is a type of abuse can be caused by over-discipline or punishment that is inappropriate for the
Sexual Abuse. Also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person
upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another [3]. In this study,
It includes activities by a parent or caretaker such as fondling a child’s genitals, penetration, incest,
rape, sodomy, indecent exposure and exploitation through prostitution or the production of
pornographic materials.
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
provided by states for children who cannot live with their families also refer to placement settings
such as group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent
living [3]. In this study, It is one of the programs of the Institution where the children will be place
inside the orphanage that will give temporary needs and parental care until the children will reach
Residential Home Care. Conceptual. A general care and support provided in a standard
care home. It can often be referred to as "personal care" or even "assisted living" and usually
involves help with basic needs such as washing, dressing, mobility assistance [3]. In this study, it is
one of the programs of the Institution where they provide temporary residential care with all needs
covered to the children that was placed to the orphanage by their parents. Sometimes this is due to
Healing Environment. Conceptual. It entails good design balance of the use of form,
color, texture and scale. One needs to recognize that every design component is an opportunity to
impact the health and well-being of the occupant and passerby. Experiences that are formed
throughout one’s life begin with an understanding of space and the boundary that is placed between
us and that space [34]. In this study, it is believed to be an intangible healing factor influence by
Holistic. Conceptual. Also known as Holism, it is the idea that various systems should be
viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts [21]. In this study, it is characterized by the
treatment of the whole person, considering mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms
of a disease.
church only the pope can divide or merge dioceses or create new ones. All dioceses are divided
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
into parishes, each with its own church; dioceses are also sometimes divided into rural deaneries,
which contain several parishes [16]. In this study, It is a group of catholic parish priest from the
Nursery. Conceptual. It refers to a place to maintain children received from early ages to
the end of age 5 and educate them [1]. In this study, It is a sector of the foundation that focuses on
Suicide. Conceptual. Is defined as a fatal self-injurious act with some evidence of intent
to die [29]. In this study, it is one of the social issues that the institution wants to eliminate especially
Childhood. Conceptual. Considered as the first step of growth and in addition to be related
to growth steps, it is independent stage of human life with specific encouragements and problems.
In this study, Refers to the early life experience of a child from nursery to teen stage.
Hopelessness. Conceptual. It is a feeling that conditions will never improve, that there is
no solution to a problem, and, for many, a feeling that dying by suicide would be better than living
[29]. In this study, it is one of the major causes of depression and suicide that the institution wants
which has spread to over 200 countries of the world since its outbreak, short for "coronavirus
disease 2019," is the name of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus [13]. In this
study, it refers to the specific pandemic outbreak disease that will be taken into consideration for
Near Orphan. Conceptual. The near orphan refers to the children with chronically ill
parent who will become orphans in the next year [20]. In this study, it also refers to the children
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Balay Ancora: A Proposed Orphanage Institute- Retreat House and Wellness Center
that has parents who are unable to take care or to provide the essential needs of their children due
One-Half Orphan. Conceptual. The one-half orphans are those who have lost only one
of their parents either no mother or no father [20]. In this study, it refers to children who has single
Double Orphan. Conceptual. are children under 18 years of age who have lost both
parents [20]. In this study, it refers to the minor children who has no parents to take care of them
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