In celebration of the 26th National Children’s Month (NCM), the Department of Social Welfare and Development National Capital Region (DSWD NCR) through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program conducted the Children’s Festival 2018 at Icon Hotel Timog, Quezon City on December 8-9, 2018.
Around 120 children beneficiaries from the 17 Local Government Units in the region participated in the event focused on the theme: “Bata, Magkaisa Tungo sa Bayang Mapagkalinga.” During the activity, participants tackled how they could attain a bayang mapagkalinga: a nation that gives children the freedom to express their feelings and thoughts and recognizes their rights.
The theme also focuses on children beneficiaries defining a “safe space” for children in the community. This coincides with the Council for the Welfare of Children’s (CWC) NCM theme, “Isulong: Tamang Pag-aaruga para sa Lahat ng Bata” with a call on children’s participation and unity by using the word magkaisa, and widening the perspective on proper care for children by incorporating the concept of a bayang mapagkalinga.
Participants showcased their talent in singing, acting, spoken poetry, and visual arts through presentations that highlighted the event’s theme.
Children were also educated about the importance of CyberSafety and learned tips on how to safely navigate the internet. They were also informed about the key issues on CyberSafety ranging from Cyberbullying to Online Chatting, Online Gaming, and Online Pornography.
The advocacy campaign by DSWD’s partner government agency, the Department of Education (DepEd) and Stairway Foundation Inc. was launched in recognition of an urgent need to protect and guide children in their use of the internet. It also addresses the need to protect Filipino children from cyberbullying and online child abuse. ###