Igniting the Light of the Future

    

    The Philippines first adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations on November 20, 1989.  By 2015, late Philippine President Benigno Aquino III made November the official National Children’s Month in the Philippines under the Republic Act No. 10661. The focus of National Children’s Month is to offer help to those children who suffered from abuse, poverty, natural calamities, and violence. 

   

    The observance of the 30th anniversary of National Children’s Month coincides with the shift to full in-person learning, whose focus this year is on the mental health of children. The previous observance of the special month in 2021 – a year during which COVID-19 claimed the highest number of lives in the country – “firmly established the need to acknowledge mental health as one of the most critical issues” affecting children, requiring attention and response at the national and local levels, according to the Council for the Welfare of Children.

    This month-long celebration aims to give Filipino children access to a healthy environment, good education, and healthcare. Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero, once said that the youth is the future of the nation, and investing in children is key for the betterment of the next generation. This holiday also comes from a place of empathy. As a third-world country, most families struggle financially, and it’s the children who suffer the most. This month highlights the ways we can help and support them.

References:

National Today. National Children's Month-November 2022. Retrieved on November 24, 2022.
    https://nationaltoday.com/national-childrensmonth/#:~:text=National%20Children's%20Month%20is%20celebrated,Dr.

The Philippine Star. EDITORIAL - Promoting children’s mental health. Retrieved on November 24, 2022. 
    https://www.philstar.com/opinion

Ufmantaro118.org. 09 NOV RCWC LEADS OFF CELEBRATION OF 24TH NATIONAL CHILDREN’S MONTH AT KIOSKO KAGAWASAN, CDO. Retrieved on November 24, 2022.
    https://aboutcagayandeoro.com/rcwc-national-children-s-month-cdo/