What We Do
Our Programs and Services
1. Chikara Program
ACTION’s flagship program is the CHIKARA Program. The word Chikara is a Japanese term which means “power” in English. This program aims to provide opportunities for children to develop their potentials and skills.
Dance no Chikara
"Power of Dance"
This intervention gives children the opportunity to develop their skills in dancing. It improves mental and physical capacity of children and serves as outlet for pent up emotions. This is also a way for children and youth to build self-confidence.
Karate no Chikara
"Power of Karate"
This intervention provides free karate lessons conducted by a karate instructor to children in residential care facilities and indigent communities. Children are encouraged to join karate tournaments organized by the affiliated karate organizations to exhibit and enhance their skills. Like the Dance no Chikara, this promotes physical activity as a way for emotional release and improvement of mental strength.
Iyashi no Chikara
"Power of Therapy"
This provides free massage therapy training to 17-35 years old individuals from schools, communities, and residential care facilities. This is funded and supported by REJOB, a Japanese company focused on beauty and wellness. This is also in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Graduates of this training may apply for a National Certification II on Basic Wellness Massage from TESDA.
Hasami no Chikara
"Power of Scissors"
This provides free haircut and hairstyling training conducted by professional Filipino and Japanese hairstylists to children in residential care facilities and indigent communities to provide them with skills they can use to earn.
2. Life Skills Intervention for Children and Youth
This intervention aims to prepare children in the adult life by conducting lessons on self-awareness, spirituality, grooming and self-care, life-goal setting, interpersonal communication skills, problem solving and decision-making, effectively managing emotions, social responsibility, financial literacy and empathy. The sessions are integrated to the Dance/Karate/Iyashi/Hasami activities.
3. Educational Assistance
A people’s organization from Japan called the Growing People’s Will (GPW) and some Japanese individuals support the education of select children up to senior high school level. If the budget allows, there are also provisions for educational materials for children in indigent communities and residential care facilities.
4. Livelihood Project for Adults
ACTION, Inc. opened its doors to adults who are willing to earn extra income by creating unique handicrafts such as slippers, bags, pouches, and accessories: earrings, bracelets, necklace, key chains, and bag charms, and washable and reusable face masks. Through this project, the individuals can earn additional income for their family. Currently, the beneficiaries reside in Olongapo City (accessories) and Dinalupihan, Bataan (face masks).
5. Feeding Activities
This is supported by the Table for Two (TFT), an international non-profit organization and a global initiative to right food imbalance through a unique meal-sharing program. Children diagnosed with malnutrition receive nutritious school meals made with ingredients from a school garden and a local market. Students and parents participating in the activity manage the vegetable garden in turn.
6. Chikara-Life Skills Plus Project
A project with set of intervention to strengthen the knowledge of children and youth on child’s rights, adolescent reproductive health, and youth participation. This project is supported by the Consuelo Foundation since 2019 to present.
Adolescent Reproductive Health
It aims to empower adolescents to have informed choices on reproductive health. This has three modalities: face-to-face trainings, online lessons, and non-online or modular lessons.
Child Protection Sessions
This aims to provide continuous learning sessions for children and parents of the Chikara beneficiaries on child protection. The topics of this include basic orientation on child’s rights and responsibilities, anti-child trafficking, and security of children and youth online.
7. Coalition Against Trafficking of Children (CATCH)
This project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Partnership for Development Assistance in the Philippines (PDAP), Incorporated from October 2020 to March 2022. The overall goal of the project is to reduce vulnerability of potential child-trafficking victims through strengthened local networks and mechanisms to counter trafficking in person in Olongapo City. This will be done through four technical approaches: (1) Capacity Building for the business and tourism groups; (2) Coalition Building among all stakeholders; (3) Awareness Raising in the communities and schools; and (4) Policy Advocacy specifically improvements on the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Ordinance of Olongapo City.
8. Project to Strengthen the Support Systems for Children in Residential Care Facilities and Communities in 11 Regions in the Philippines
A three-year project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council. This project is an evolved and expanded project result of the first and second phases of capacity building and life skills intervention implemented in 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 also with JICA. The focus is to improve the services provided by the residential care facilities by building the capacity of social workers and houseparents. This will be done through conducting the Training on Houseparenting to 8 regions, and by training them on providing life skills intervention activities to children especially in the facilities catering to children in conflict with the law.
One of the major accomplishments of these projects from 2012 to 2019 was the creation of the Memorandum Circular 14 series of 2019 of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
9. Hosting Cultural Exchanges
These are various activities initiated and conducted by Japanese Volunteers from the Non-Profit Organization (NPO)–ACTION.
Work Camps and Study Tours
These initiatives provide the Japanese participants the opportunity to learn and help Filipino families through community immersion.
International Understanding Program
In partnership with the Musashino City Board of Education in Japan, ACTION has been facilitating interactive learning sessions to grade school students to better understand the culture of different countries.
10. Resource Augmentation and Complementation
ACTION, through its vast network, sometimes receives different resources such as used computers, relief packs, and holiday packs, among others. ACTION distributes these items to the partners and community beneficiaries who are in most need.
