The Philippine Online Chronicles

It is National Children’s Month, so it is important now more than ever to bring to attention the condition of the children in the country so that their needs can be better served.

Politicians make the promise that all the work they do is for the future of our children. “Para sa kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan” is the battle cry. However, these shouldn’t just be meaningless words. These words are actually more serious and should be taken to heart by all Filipinos.

The things we do today will directly affect each and every Filipino child tomorrow.

Obviously, there are many problems facing our children today. On the most basic level, we need to address their health, education and overall well-being. Fortunately, our lawmakers have taken great strides in protecting our children.

Laws in place

There have been many laws that have been placed to effect in response to the need to protect and promote the rights of children. Although many may not necessarily be implemented properly or effectively, it shows the priority of the state in taking care of the country’s children.

• PD 603 of Pres. Marcos is the Child and youth Welfare Code outlines the basic rights of all Filipino children.
• RA 6237 amends the women and child labor law.
• RA 6972 establishes the Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of Children Act, wherein daycares are set up in all barangays as needed.
• RA 8279 allows for the Parental Leave of Solo Parents. The laws have also been changed so now even illegitimate children can carry the last name of their biological father.
• To promote the health of newborn children, RA 7600 was put into law. This encouraged breastfeeding and rooming in of newborn infants. The benefits of breast milk for babies have been extensively studied so it is only natural that we educate parents of its superiority over formula.

VAWC

One of the most proactive laws that have been passed in recent years is the Law on Violence Against Women and Children. RA 9262 of 2004 further defined abuses against women and children. These include physical, mental, social and even economic abuse.

Government programs

Under the Aquino administration, conditional cash transfers have been given to the poorest families to ensure these parents continue to send their children to school. At the cost of P21 billion, the "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)" is the flagship anti poverty program that is geared to help 321,000 families. Under the program, each poor family gets a P500 a month subsidy for health and nutrition assistance. At the same time, there is also an education assistance of P300 per child (up to three children) each month. There are conditions that need to be complied with for the families to receive the cash.

There are critics to the program who claim that this is merely another government dole-out. The root causes of poverty must still be addressed with long-term solutions.

The Department of Health has stepped up its efforts to immunize children from otherwise deadly diseases, such as the Balik Patak Kontra Polio program.

NGOs

The solution to our children’s issues doesn’t merely lie with the government. Non-government organizations can do much to help the situation. There are a number of programs and non-profit organizations that are in place to help our children.

• There is ABS-CBN’s Bantay Bata.
• To help street children, there is Virlanie Foundation and Tuloy Foundation.
• Child Protection in the Philippines aims to promote awareness of children’s issues.
• Fit For School is a program that gives away soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes to school age children to teach them about proper hygiene, as well as deworming.

There are over 69 non-government organizations and charities devoted to the promotion and protection of child welfare in the country. Private citizens can volunteer their time or contribute goods, services and money to support these charities.

Private Companies

Many corporations have also addressed the social need to help young children. Many leading organizations have scholarships to help the poor, from John Gokongwei to the Metrobank Foundation. Every year, leading networks give out school supplies to children. There are learning programs on TV. SM malls have also built breastfeeding stations to support mothers who wish to nurse their children. These are just some of the ways that the private sector has helped Filipino children so that they can have a better future.

While the situation may be bleak, it is not hopeless. We cannot afford to lose hope for our children’s sake. We all need to do our part to help. It takes little things to make a big change.

Simple steps

The family is the core unit of society so if there is to be change, it needs to start from the home.

• We need to start talking to our children, ensuring not only their physical well-being but also being actively present in their lives.
• Try to have mealtimes together so you can all come together as a family. Children need to feel the love and support of their parents so they don’t succumb to peer pressure and so they can develop a strong sense of their own self.
• We need to teach our own children about the world outside our village gates. We need to teach them about compassion and selflessness. Encouraging them to donate their old toys, books, clothes and other things is a simple way to do it.
• We need to put pressure on lawmakers to make the care of our children a priority. This way, not only will laws be crafted to protect them, it will also be enforced.
• The government needs to put in place a responsible population control program. At the same time, mothers need to be educated about prenatal care and child rearing. Poverty needs to be addressed so that parents can support their families with dignity.
• The state of education needs to be fixed. Aside from an increased budget, we need to improve competency skills of the teachers themselves, improve classrooms and make learning fun and accessible. Day care programs should be put in place so that proper care can be given to children while their parents work.
• We can support the charities and NGO’s that are trying to do the work that some people are simply unable to do for themselves. Give your time, money and attention and help out. If you can make a difference in the life of one child, you can make a difference in the world.

As October is National Children’s Month, it’s time we all take accountability for all children today. We need to put out money and time in the things that truly matter, and what could be more important than our children? If we don’t do anything today, what kind of Philippines will we have tomorrow?

We need to stop the blame game and simply just take action. It’s not easy but it can be done. We can turn things around, one child at a time.

Photo by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado. Some rights reserved.