The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reiterates its call to all sectors to work together to build a more caring, compassionate, and nurturing environment for children as it joins the 26th National Children’s Month celebration on November 1-30.

This year’s theme, “Isulong: Tamang Pag-aaruga Para sa Lahat ng Bata” is aligned with the key strategies of the Philippine Plan of Action to End Violence Against Children (PPAEVAC) 2017-2022, which translates the findings of the 2015 Philippine National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children (NBS-VAC) into specific action.

According to the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), an attached agency of the DSWD, the 2015 NBS-VAC revealed that most Filipino children experience, and are vulnerable to physical, psycho-social and sexual violence in any setting, but it is significantly high in the home. An alarming three (3) out of five (5) children suffer one or two forms of violence at home, while parents and other members of the family, such as brothers, cousins, and sisters are often the perpetrators of abuse.

Moreover, the NBS-VAC indicated that the prevalence of violence in schools is almost equally disturbing.

Consequently, the celebration aims to advocate building a safe, nurturing, and protective environment for children through positive discipline among parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers.

Moreover, the month-long celebration  seeks to increase knowledge of parents/caregivers on how to handle or educate their children while in the cyberspace; intensify the advocacy of positive discipline in classrooms; strengthen the integration of appropriate classroom dynamics in daily teaching; provide space for children’s participation in legislative advocacy; push for the passage of the Positive Discipline Bill; and celebrate gains and successes on child rights promotion and protection of the country.

Republic Act 10661 declaring November as National Children’s Month commemorates the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly on November 20, 1989, and seeks to instill its significance in the Filipino consciousness.

Sec. 3 of RA 10661 designates DSWD, CWC, and the National Youth Commission (NYC) as lead agencies in the preparation and implementation of an annual program of activities celebrating National Children’s Month.

To mark the month-long celebration, the National Steering Committee on Children’s Rights Advocacy (NSC-CRA) headed by the CWC in partnership with the DSWD, NYC and member -NGOs lined-up a series of activities, starting with “MOVEember for Positive Parenting” ushering in NCM on November 5 at the Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City.

Other activities include Conference on Digital Parenting, Children’s Lobby Day for Positive Discipline, Ako Para sa Bata International Conference, Positive Discipline in Daily Teaching School Caravan.

The main highlight of the National Children’s Month celebration will be the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities.

The DSWD enjoins all government agencies to conduct their own activities in line with the celebration. ###