How Rita Avila became a child rights advocate

Rita Avila —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

“It was a sad beginning,” said actress Rita Avila to describe her first experience as a book author when she wrote “8 Ways to Comfort with Grace” in 2008.Rita’s son with husband, TV director FM Reyes, died three weeks after being born in 2006.

“The book serves as a guide to people who are offering their condolences,” the actress told Inquirer Entertainment in an interview. “This was inspired by the common experiences of people who are grieving. We all observed that there are things others say or do that only make grieving people feel more pain.”

Rita then started writing books for kids upon the suggestion of her publisher, who happens to be a priest. “He said, ‘Don’t you have dolls? Why don’t you turn them into characters of stories with moral values?’ This got me really excited. I started writing ‘The Invisible Wings,’ which has since turned into a four-part series.”

Rita Avila

Social values

Another publisher encouraged Rita to write “Si Erik Tutpik at si Ana Taba,” which tackles social values. “This discusses problems that children face, like if they’re too skinny, too fat or too dark-skinned. It answers the question, ‘What is enough?’ It features a rhyming style of writing,” she began.

“These books are for parents who have no idea how to help kids with their problems. Ideally, they should read these books together. It will be a fun experience because the three characters talk funny. Also, it tries to tell parents that time is very important to kids. They will grow up remembering that their parents devoted time to them.”

Rita also authored the book “Wanna Bet on Love.”

The tragic experience in her life has led Rita to advocate for children’s rights. She has even devoted her earnings from the book to Cribs, an nongovernmental organization for abandoned children.

“I often read stories to them when I visit. Kids should also have their own choices. They should be told that the situation they are currently in is not permanent. They can still choose to live differently, to be a better person when they grow up,” she pointed out.