vedt Romualdez yesterday appealed to her col-

leagues in Congress to prioritize the approval

of the Magrr.a Carta for Children, whicl aims
to strengthen economic and social protection
for FiEpino rtinors who comprise dlrnost half
of the nation's population.

Romualdez noted th6t these laws in order to

. the passage of the UN Con- acomprehensive
vention on tleRights of the measure will be crbate
-psss12environment
Child 30 yea$ aio has in-
spired nitions 5nd con-
needed to
steer ihe growth and wel-
Romualdez, chairperson of munities. includins the fare oI
FiliDino clildJen in
ihe House comriittee on PhiliDDines. to embr';P rhp all bf life.
aspects
the welfare of children, mordl'obligarion to ensure "Our countru's collpr-
made the pitch for the ap- the welJard and well-berng tive lcng-term vjlion, Am-
proval ol the Magna Carta of children, esoeciallv thE Bjsyon Natin 2M0, aspires
during the cc,nimemora- neglected and 'the disad- for a shongly rooted, com'
rion of the 30th Amiversa- vantaged. fortable, aid secure liae -
rV of the United Nations In 1992, Republic Act matatag, maginiawa at
Convention on the Rishts of (RA) No. 7610 was enacted pg-raFg buhay for all
the Child. to provide stronger det:dr- tsrhDrnos
!a
ln the nert twPn-
'lurllike other secto$ of rence and sDecial Drotec- ry_-Ave years. This picture
society, children are inher- tion againsi' child 'abuse. of the luhrre of our cor]nE\/
ently vulnerable. They can- exploitation and discrirni- enviEions a Philippines th;t
not, on iheir own, p;rtici- nation. In 2003, RA No. is a prosperous middle
Date in nation buildino 9231 was passed to elini- class society where no one
they need their famitiei, nate ihe wolst forms oI clild is poor," Romualdez said.
the government and the labor and instituie stonser ' "But what better path
wide; cornnunity, to pro- protection for workrngcfi - to guarantee a strong and
vrde therequisite care, zuid- dren. secure tuture lor our .oun-
ance. healrh and edrrcito" In 2006, Congress trv tllan to Dreoare our chil-
services 'especially in theit oassed the landmarF leo- dien more'intintiv for the
early torrnative years,'/ islation Republic Act 9341- role they are set tir play as
Romualdez exDlaiied later anenhed bv Reoubj citizens, to Drevent risks
This, she sald, was the lic Act 10630, tlni luvinile and thr:eats tb *rel posi-
reason why dre House com- Justice Act, and in 2009, trve growlh, to promote
mittee on the wellare of Republic Act 9775, the their inrelfare aJld'welt-be-
children has iaken as its anti-child pornography ing, to encourage their full
uimost Driorirv the craft- participatiory and to insti-
ing and passige of the ln recent years, thtee tute shonger socjal protec-
Magna Carta ofthildren. more child wellare laws tion Droerams that rlill
"Gurded bv rhe orinci- were passed Reoublic benefit'the;r and their Jam-
ples of the Co'nvention on Acr N6. 10821 -or th6 ch - ilies," she explained.
*Ie Rights oI rie Child, we dren's Ernergency Relief Romualdez sDearhead-
are sefto draJt a more com- and Protectidn Att, Re, ed a series of acdvities tlEt
prehensive legislative mea- public Act No. 10165 or the marked the celebntion of
sure that wilfnot orily en- Foster Care Act and recent- dre 30th anniversarv of the
courage the protecti6n of Iy, in the Seventeenth Con- UN Convention Rishts of
child-ren ftom tlueats and gress, ReDublic Act No. the Child in the HEus of
harm, but more important- 11188, which assures sDe- Representatives.
lv en-qure Dos ive <trnndrt cial protection for childien The activities induded
lor the deielopment 6l the in situations of armed con- a leeisliators' discussion on
child's p€rson:lity, talents flict. the itatus of
imDlemenra-
and meirtal and " ohvsical Romualdez said it is tion of tlrc Rielits of the
abiliries to their fiJhit oo- now imperative for Con- Child, with focis on leei6-
tential," she added. ' gress to review and revisit lative reforms for.hild;n