Our HOPES Need Hope...

Last September 26, 2008 a group of Filipino bloggers who are entrecard members managed to run a contest for the purpose of spreading the word about the need to adopt and implement effective policies that will promote child welfare here in the Philippines and maybe for the rest of the world too.

[image taken from http://www.cgstock.com/4186]

Now, the question is... Why is there really a need to implement effective policies that will promote children`s welfare?

But first, before we answer that question, let us first define if what really a child is? I`m just thinking that almost all of us know what a child is, but never did we realize who they really are and what their purpose really is in our society.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, a child is every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier. And biologically, a child is anyone in the developmental stage of childhood which is between infancy and adulthood. And according to the law applicable to Philippines, they recognized a child as a basic sector distinct from youth and students.

Now what are their role and how important are they in our society? As of today, it is considered that children played an important role within the family which as we all know is the fundamental unit of our society. They`re the most sacred treasure we have nowadays. They are the foosteps of every community. And more importantly, Children are said to be the hope of our future.

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On November 28, 2007, a certain columnist named Mong Palatino who happens to be a youth activisit, the news editor that time of Yehey! [a Philippine-based web portal, and I`m not sure if he`s still the news editor at this point], and a Global Voices correspondent, wrote a certain commentary article with greater emphasis to the rights of the Filipino children. Entitled "Commentary: Is the Philippines child-friendly?" which was posted on UPI Asia.com, Mr. Palatino summarized and questioned the actions that the Philippine Government is doing in implementation of Children`s Rights and Children`s Welfare.

[image taken from http://www.unesco.org/delegates/philippines/html/body_r1.htm]

Accordingly, the Philippines is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Every administration has committed to building a child-friendly society where children are "nurtured and allowed to grow and develop in dignity." And that more than a decade ago, the government adopted a Philippine Plan of Action for Children in order to realize a child-sensitive society. But then the government has failed because of lack of political will and by not realizing the importance of those obligations.

I even agree when Mr. Palatino said that Children`s rights are the most important human rights. And that Children are among the most ignored and discriminated against sectors of the Philippine society.

If you wanna read, know and learn more about the article, you may simply click this link and go directly to the post: http://www.upiasia.com/Human_Rights/2007/11/08/commentary_is_the_philippines_childfriendly/3938/.

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Now consider some of my thoughts below regarding this matter...

• `twas said that the Philippines has long been committed to ensuring the rights of children, particularly their rights to survival, protection, development and participation. ••• Yet, until this point I don`t see any improvement regarding the said matter.
• Government efforts to ensure progress towards the attainment of its goals for children had always failed, and it`s accordingly because of financial crisis. ••• For me, it`s not really the financial crisis but the unnecessary and unproper government spending such as unproper budget allocation and the several projects by several corrupt government officials.
  
• ••• An effective way to promote enjoyment of Children`s rights is not only through the provision of direct services to them, but by providing favorable world and national economic environments where their parents or older siblings could be empowered to help meet the children`s needs.
• ••• The Government among other sectors should always give emphasis and special attention to the rights and well-being of children... giving them the right to represent and participate in several government plans.
• ••• The Government should also acknowledge the need to address the gap between the enactment of laws and the enforcement of these laws. Aside from the need to set-up functional and efficient monitoring systems, the need to educate the public and the government officials and other public/civil servants about these child-focused laws and policies must always be considered essential. `twas evident that the lack of public awareness and understanding within the justice system about national laws which were specifically intended to provide special protecton measures for children had contributed to this lack of commitment to enforcing these laws.
• ••• The mission to give voice to the Filipino children by providing them with a link to the highest office in the land is really necessary. But proving them voice alone won`t help them unless the Government is also prepared to lend them an ear and hear their voices.
• ••• Lastly, the national government along with different local governments must understand and appreciate the importance of these obligations and the fulfillment of these commitments for the benefit of a brighter future and brighter society.
  

Remember always that Children are the key to our success in the future and that is actually the very reason why they are considered the hopes of our future. Whatever we do today to help them will surely benefit the lives and the society of our next generation.

Thus, I am encouraging not just politicians but all of us to participate and contribute to the promotion of a Child-Friendly governance.

You may be wondering if if this post or article would be in existence if there would have been no contest at all. Honestly, the answer is I don`t know... But this is what I wanna tell you. The contest helped me realize the importance of articles like this. It opened my eyes to what is really happening today and thus making me aware of the current condition and situation of our children today. In this regard, I would really like to be involved. I wanna help even just in my own little ways our children of today. They surely need us, let`s just let them know and let them feel that we`re still here for them and that they`re not alone after all.

Our future HOPES need hope!

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I would like to thank the following Filipino bloggers who have managed to conceptualize and made such contest possible:

• Seek No More
• PolitEkon
• Pinay Wife Speaks
• Proud Mommy
• Momma Wannabe
• E-Pamilya
• The Pinay Blogger
• Trader’s Hub
• Swirling Thoughts
• A Grateful Heart
• Pinay in States

Thank you so much guys, and continue spreading the word! Keep up the good work.