Melo Villareal
MANILA – In celebration of National Women’s Month, the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) has utilized its property as a venue for an art therapy activity for survivors of domestic abuse on Thursday, March 23.
The activity was participated by women from Tahanan Sta Luisa, a crisis intervention center based in Antipolo, Rizal, that empowers street girls with experiences of abuse by giving them a safe place to heal and grow.
The initiative is part of the “Nayon for Healing Campaign” launched last 2021 when the agency hosted both a vaccination and quarantine facility during the pandemic. The campaign was initiated to contribute to the mental and emotional well-being of the patients and staff stationed in the property through physical enhancements and recommended activities.
The Nayon for Healing Campaign highlights the NPF site as not just a green space but also a healing space.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority in their 2017 National Demographic Health Survey, one in four Filipino women aged 15-49 has experienced physical, emotional, or sexual violence from their husbands or partner.
The NPF believes that this Art Therapy activity will empower women through beneficial effects on their psyche and can aid in the cultivation of their self-esteem and emotional resilience.
For more than three decades, art therapy has been documented as an important method of addressing the emotional pain of young survivors of violence.
While nature can generate many positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, and creativity, and can facilitate concentration.
Facilitated by Art Therapist Sweet Remandaban, the participants use various art methods, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and collage.
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Read: Nayong Pilipino: What to See Inside this Philippine Village Park
