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The Philippines
Influencing local government in the best interests of
the child
“Rulers should look
after their people, not
themselves.”
– traditional saying
Youth leaders at the Bohol Children’s Association show a flip chart listing
agreed priorities for action
Background
A feature of the operational environment of
the Philippines is a strong legislative base,
which upholds human and child rights. It is
possibly the strongest of the five countries of
this study in its legislation to protect children.
However, this does not ensure child
protection in practice. The sad reality is that
“there is a great distance between enactment
of laws on children’s rights and the children’s
enjoyment of them.” 1
Child protection concerns identified
Priorities identified by the Committee on the
Convention on the Rights of the Child in its
1994 report on the Philippines included:
• access for birth registration of children
• reports of rape or sexual abuse of children
• child abuse and neglect
• reinforced monitoring and improved data
collection on children at risk, especially
incidence of disability
• increased school retention, and
• protection of children (especially street
children) from exploitation.
Although the report is more than eight years
old, many of these issues are a continuing
concern. Child-focused NGOs including
World Vision Development Foundation have
been active in commenting on the
Government’s implementation at national
and local levels.
Areas of child protection concerns
identified by World Vision
World Vision has identified the following as
needing urgent attention:
Photo: Laurence Gray
1
Muntarbhorn, V, A Source Book for Reporting Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF, EAPRO & Child Rights ASIANET, Bangkok, 1997
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