Saint Vincent de Paul

Saint Louise de Marillac

Sr. Asuncion Ventura

Its  Beginnings

The Little Company of the Daughters of Charity arrived in the Philippines  sometimes on 1862.

A DC sister from Bacoor, Pampanga Sor Asuncion Ventura, expressed her desire to Mother Superior Sor Tiburcia Ayans, DC to give her all inheritance towards the support of a home for orphans, and young girls too poor and abandoned by their parents. On June 13, 1884 the official permission to establish the Asilo was given, Asilo means refuge. Asilo de San Vicente de Paul named in honor of St. Vincent de Paul a Patron Saint of all Charitable works.

On November 22, 1923, Sor Asuncion Ventura, DC died at the home she founded with the orphans she most loved and served during her lifetime. The Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) duly incorporated Asilo as a Social Welfare agency it was May 6, 1936.

By December 1944, about 2,000 people congregated at Asilo coming from the Paco and Pandacan District, which were badly bombed by retreating Japanese soldiers. On February 10, 1945 a hand grenade thrown by a demented Japanese soldiers on the roof of the Asilo building destroyed completely the Asilo building, killed some two hundred sick people in the infirmary section housed in the second floor of the building. On July 4 1946 the Philippines was granted Independence by the American Colonizer.

By February 10 1951 the reconstructed building of the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul was inaugurated, its main gate facing Isaac Peral Street now United Nations Avenue. On 1951 About 70 interns were housed at the Asilo, free everything. Many donors like the Elizande family and the Zobels, and the Sorianos did not abandon Asilo, before and especially after the war. They provided regular money subsidy, sack of rice, and other goods, the girl were continuing instruction and training on the art of embroidery and household works.

On 1953 Asilo has complete Elementary and Vocational course. By January 1956, the war damage act enabled the Asilo to complete full reconstruction of the Asilo building complex, providing for classroom facilities, Fr. Estanislao Aranas, CM  a Spanish priest represented the Asilo in the USA, arguing for the Asilo’s share in the War damage claim. On 1975 Asilo was re-accredited by the Ministry of Social Services and Development a child care center. The Provincial Council sends Sr Nelia to gradually phase-out the school in recognition of the current need to improved its licensed child-caring services, and to emphasize the “servant” charism of the DC.

On 1984 a Crisis Intervention Services was opened without much fanfare. The brain child of the collective works of the present Sisters Community, led by Sor Nelia and Sor Rebecca, who felt badly the need of doing serious follow-up works on the families of their girls as well as accept, and minister to people who are in serious trouble, e.g. battered child and wife runaway children, warring spouses, victim of abuse.

Asilo de San Vicente  de Paul (ASVP) at  1148 UN Avenue Manila  is  the Crisis Center of the Daughters of Charity Social Service Satellite System. 
 

Today the institution provides a    safe    and    caring environment   for   the  development  of  poor  children   of   different  ages.  It  maintains   a center    for     street children,   the   Sagip Kabataan Center  and  has  its own center  for Psychological services ,  the Kalakbay Center.

It offers Alternative Learning System (ALS) program   for   out-of- school youth, Vocational Technology  program for  poor    high     school   graduates   interested  to acquire    vocational   skills     for      gainful  employment and  college  scholarship   for  those who  are   interested to study a 2 yr. or 4 yr. course.

One relevant service of Asilo de San Vicente  de Paul today  is   the   half-way home  for Overseas Filipino  Workers  (OFWs)   and    their families - the dormitory apostolate.

Through the years of loving service to the poor,  Asilo de San V icente  de Paul continues  to  interface  with  the signs of the times.

“What God Asks of us in particular, is to have great care for the POOR, who are our LORDs”, “Oh Yes”, THEY are our MASTERS”

St. Vincent de Paul

“You know that they are our MASTERS & that we must tenderly, love them & greatly respect them”

St. Louise de Marillac