By ROD TAJON
www.nordis.net

CABUGAO, Ilocos Sur — A partylist group advocating children’s rights challenged local government units to get involved in child protection and advocacy.

“Any development initiative must take into account the plight of the children,” said Arlene Brosas, secretary general of AKAP BATA Partylist in a forum sponsored by the LGU of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur in celebration of the National Children’s Month.

Brosas was the keynote speaker in the said program attended by some 100 parents, day care workers and municipal employees including the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWD).

“The situation only reflects the condition of the social class and families where he belongs,” Brosas pointed out, stating that children suffer the same misery suffered by families of workers, semi-workers, and peasants.

Brosas, stressed that holistic approaches should be done to fulfill the obligations stipulated by various national and international laws and instruments.

“The matter of implementation is important to ensure that the basic rights of children are enjoyed and protected at most,” she added and shared present issues concerning children such as the proposal of some legislators in the Congress regarding the amendments of the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act.

Brosas called on the LGU’s and day care teachers to take social involvement as the main approach in fostering children’s rights. “It takes a community to raise a child,” she concluded and reiterated that the children are the makers of tomorrow.

AKAP BATA, literally means to embrace a child, is a partylist group concerned with children’s welfare. AKAP BATA and other people’s organizations were among the forefronts of the campaign against Child Pornography, as well as other policies concerning children’s welfare. # nordis.net