To ensure that children are protected from all forms of abuse, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has convened several child-focused non-government organizations (NGOs) to discuss issues and plan out for the continued interventions for affected children who are temporarily housed in various evacuation centers in the Zamboanga City.

DSWD IX Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo, who presided over the meeting that was held at the DSWD office, said that there are about 36,000 children with ages 3-17 who were affected by the armed-conflict. “These children are most vulnerable, and that we have to ensure their protection,” Director Arevalo said.

She emphasized the zonal assignments of evacuees at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Sports Complex were established to accurately monitor the situation not only of the children but that of other vulnerable groups like the older persons and pregnant women, among others.

The NGOs that participated in the meeting were the Save the Children, Community and Family Services Int’l., World Vision, Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Network, Western Mindanao State University. Also present during the meeting were a group of Philippine National Police personnel who, in plain clothes and without identifying themselves as police officers, conduct regular stress debriefing sessions to kids at JFE Sports complex.

Existing services offered by these NGOs to evacuation centers include psychosocial services, advocacies on child-related laws and policies, and child-protection mechanisms and referrals.

In order to put up a systematic mechanism that the programs for children are provided and to prevent duplication of services, the cluster agreed for each member organization to adopt a number of evacuation centers to pour in their services.

Four (4) NGOs gave their commitments to continually provide their services.  The Save the Children Foundation undertook to handle evacuation centers of Divisoria National High School and the elementary schools of Boalan, Zambowood, and Talon-talon.  Western Mindanao State University with its allied offices of College of Social Work and Community Development and Extension Services Office committed to handle the Baliwasan Central school.  CSFI expressed to continue its services to the evacuees JFE SportsComplex while CAPIN, in partnership with Save the Children, shall ensure its services to Tetuan, Talon-talon, Divisoria and Zambowood Elementary Schools.

 “We cannot eliminate abuses in camps but we try to minimize it,” said Dr. Marcy Carpiso of WMSU who is a strong advocate of children’s rights and a constant partner of DSWD in child-related activities. ###