The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), and National Youth Commission intensified their call to end all forms of abuse and exploitation against children, during the 26th National Children’s Month kick-off celebration, dubbed as “MOVEmber for Positive Parenting” held at Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City yesterday.

More than 2,000 children from different schools and representatives from government agencies, local non-government  and international organizations joined the celebration with this year’s theme, “Isulong:Tamang Pag-Aaruga Para sa Lahat ng Bata,” focusing on positive parenting and positive discipline.

Positive discipline is disciplining children without resorting to physical or corporal punishment, such as spanking, hitting, slapping, shouting, or shaming.

One of the priority legislative measures being supported by DSWD is the proposed “Positive and Non-Violent Discipline of Children Act” which seeks to promote positive and non-violent discipline of children and protect them from physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment.

As defined in the bill, positive and non-violent discipline refers to a holistic, constructive and pro-active approach to parenting or teaching that helps children develop appropriate thinking and behavior in the short and long terms and is based on the principles of children’s rights, child development, and effective teaching.

Physical, humiliating or degrading act as a form of punishment refers to any form of punishment or discipline in which physical force is used and intended to cause pain or discomfort or non-physical act that causes a child to feel belittled, denigrated, threatened or ridiculed.

In support of the bill, DSWD Undersecretary Mae-Fe Ancheta-Templa, CWC Executive Director Mitch Cajayon-Uy, and NYC Assistant Secretary Victor A.  Del Rosario, together with officials from partner-government agencies and NGOs led the unveiling of the 3rd National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC), which highlighted the kick-off event. All stakeholders had a part in crafting and implementing the 3rd NPAC.

Undersecretary Templa also delivered Secretary Rolando D. Bautista’s closing message which emphasized that the DSWD will continue to intensify its efforts in collaboration with partner-agencies and NGOs towards building a safe, nurturing, and protective environment for children through positive discipline among parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers.

Meanwhile, CWC Exec Dir. Cajayon-Uy delivered the First  State of the Children’s Address (SOCA) focusing on the four components as specified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN-CRC), which are Survival, Protection, Development, and Participation.

“Ngayong National Children’s Month “Bata ay Protektahan, Karahasan ay Wakasan”, (This National Children’s Month, children should be protected and violence against children has to end),” she ended.  ###