As the State Party on the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Children (UNRC) and other international treaties promoting and protecting children’s rights, we, in the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Caraga are the duty bearers who are committed to promote, protect and fulfill the rights of the child to a meaningful participation in all government undertakings where children’s concern including their rights are at stake. This obligation extends to children focused government organizations, non- government organization, institutions, schools civil society and people’s organization.

We, in the DSWD join the world as it recognizes, accepts, and commits in advancing the children’s rights. We consider our children the most vulnerable sector of our society and therefore must benefit from social protection measures and assistance and must have access to services such as education and health care.

Children have distinct set of rights instead of as passive objects of care and charity. Protection of children from violence, abuse, and exploitation is a matter of urgency. Thus, we consider this our utmost response.

In Caraga, there is much to celebrate as we set several programs and laws to safeguard children’s rights. Among these is the creation of the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) – advocacy on the functionality of the BCPC, Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD)- Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) & SBFP.

In Butuan City, it launched its annual Search for the Child – Friendly Barangay last October 27, 2014. This city maintains its pride as it was awarded as regional winner of Child – Friendly Local Government Unit 2012 and had received an amount of Php 50,000.00 as its cash prize in the Presidential Award for Child – Friendly Cities. This feat worth emulating by other cities and municipalities we commend.

Also, the Municipality of Santiago, Agusan del Norte marks another milestone as it was awarded in the national level in its “ Exemplary Performance” in the implementation of the SFP.

Majority of the Department’s implementation are focused on the children’s rights and welfare. Apart from the centers and institutions that we maintain, we are the lead in the carrying – out of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the government’s flagship poverty reduction program. This is a human development program of the national government in the health and education of the children from 0 – 18 years old.

As chair in the Regional Inter – Agency Committee for the Welfare of Children (RCWC), we encourage everyone to persistently and creatively provide venues for the promotion and protection of the rights of the children.

The historic milestones the region exhibited serve as our urgent reminder that much remains to be done. We acknowledge that there are many children still do not enjoy their full rights on par with their peers. This month’s commemoration reasons the cause of our undertaking to strengthen and to better our service in Caraga for the welfare of our children.

My fellow Caraganons let us all do our share as we embrace and be constantly reminded of the rights of all the children not just in our region but in whole world. Let the rights of our children be heard, listened, echoed and treated fairly for them to live healthy and protected.

 

Minda B. Brigoli, CESO III