November is for the future generation, as we celebrate National Children’s Month (NCM) through various activities that highlight the importance of children’s health, well-being and their rights.
The attention to the many programs highlighting the welfare of the future generation through NCM is being led by many agencies – the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), National Youth Commission (NYC), local government units, and private organizations.
One national theme states the government’s commitment to the future generation: “Kalusugan, kaisipan, at kapakanan ng bawat bata ating tutukan! (Health, mind, and wellness of children must be given attention!).”
The programs for the whole month have been meticulously crafted to cover the significant aspects of children’s rights under four categories –survival rights, development rights, participation rights, and protection rights.
This year’s observance of the 30th NCM focuses on mental health and well-being of children. The agencies, in separate statements, have cited the importance of mental health, quoting a World Health Organization’s statement that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Mental health is considered as one of the critical issues of children due to the high levels of stress that they experience inside and outside of their homes.
In her video message to kick-off the start of NCM, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said the program “manifests DepEd’s renewed focus and sustained efforts to invest in our learners and increase their awareness of the importance of mental health.”
Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, CWC executive director, said in a press briefing before the NCM launching: “Many were affected during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the silent victims of the pandemic are the youth and children as there were no discussions on how the pandemic has affected them.” He said the CWC will also push for the review of the Mental Health Law to include children’s welfare.
Bullying, one of the factors affecting mental health of children, will be addressed by a DepEd program that will be launched during NCM. The Bullying Prevention Advocacy Campaign program spearheaded by the Child Protection Unit (CPU) will strengthen DepEd’s anti-bullying program.
The DepEd program will ensure “safe places” for children. It will assess schools “based on criteria aligned with the Child Protection Policy Implementation Checklist, principles and objectives of a child-friendly school, focusing on child’s rights, health, protection, and learners’ participation.”
The anti-bullying advocacy also aims to ensure the functionality of the child protection committees (CPC) and encourage schools to develop their localized child protection policies.
November is the National Children’s Month under Republic Act No. 10661 signed by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2015. It commemorates the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on Nov. 20, 1989.
Children are our most precious resources. The government agencies should not be the only ones concerned about protecting their health, well-being and rights, we should all be part of making more “safe places” for them – safe from bullies, safe from hunger. Recent studies show a high number of Filipino families cannot afford nutritious food. Find out what you can do even after National Children’s Month.