25 November 2022
The City Government of Davao, through the Special Office of Children’s Concerns (SOCC) and the Local Council for the Protection of Children, held the 29th Children’s Congress at the Ritz Hotel here on Thursday and Friday.
As one of the highlights of the city’s celebration of the National Children’s Month, the Children’s Congress was aimed at providing a venue through which children can discuss and voice their concerns over various social issues.
The two-day (November 24-25) event was attended by 185 children from the 182 barangays in the city and 10 child members of civil society organizations. The 195 participants convened and took part in a workshop where they got to express their opinions on social issues that they find most relevant to their welfare. They were also given the chance to formulate and suggest solutions to these problems.
“For this city-wide Children’s Congress, diri nadungog nato ang mga issues and concerns sa atong mga kabataan na nakita nila sa naglahi-lahing barangay (this is where the issues and concerns of our children were heard),” SOCC head Consorcia Ronquillo said.
The gathering included an election of 10 sectoral representatives from the pool of participants. These representatives were chosen to present the results of the workshop to relevant lawmakers, public officials and civil society organizations.
“So tanang mga issues nga nabatbat sa workshop, pagkatubagon na sab sa atong mga invited stakeholders gikan sa local na panggamhanan, national agencies, members of the Local Council for the Protection of Children, and civil society organizations na dunay mga programa kalabotan sa atong mga kabataan (Our invited stakeholders from the local government, national agencies, members of the Local Council for the Protection of Children, and civil society organizations that deal with children also responded to all the issues raised during the workshop),” Ronquillo said.
Ronquillo said the prevailing issues discussed in the children’s congress were that of phone addiction, bullying, and alternative education programs for the out-of-school youth.
These issues, along with the recommendations of the children’s congress were discussed by various participating public and private stakeholders, said Ronquillo, and will be considered for the creation of future policies.
Empowering children to use their voice to champion causes that are most relevant to them, does not only encourage them to become active citizens, Rinquillio said, as this also provides unique insights to problems in society.
“Nakuha nato ang mga issues sa nagkalain-laing barangay pinaagi sa mga (We saw the issues from the different barangays through the) elected child representatives. And gusto gyud namo na mapalambo na ni, mapakusgan ang tingog sa kabataan (We really want this to flourish, to strengthen the voice of the children) because this program is for the children, by the children, with the children,” she added. CIO
