The Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) launches the Regional Action Plan for Children (RPAC) at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC), Bangsamoro Government Center (BGC), Cotabato City on November 4, 2024. (Hamdan Badrudin/BIO)
COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Government plans to strengthen its efforts to address issues concerning the well-being of Bangsamoro children over the next five years, following the launch of Regional Plan of Action for Children (RPAC) here on Nov. 4, 2024.
Spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), RPAC aims to create an enabling environment in the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of the rights of all children, particularly the marginalized and disadvantaged.
“We reaffirm the Bangsamoro Government’s dedication to prioritizing children’s rights and welfare in all policies and programs […] especially in the context of the historical challenges faced by the Bangsamoro region and the ongoing issues of child protection and violence that our children still face today,” said Minister Atty. Raissa Jajurie.
Atty. Jajurie acts as the Chairperson of the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC)—a committee comprised of various Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) ministries, offices, and agencies (MOAs), which work hand-in-hand in fostering children’s rights.
The Minister highlighted that the RPAC shall positively impact the lives of children, as aligned with the commitment of the interim government for the said purpose.
“The plan should not just be a document that is left in our libraries or repositories of our knowledge products, but should actually steer the direction of our different institutions and the Bangsamoro Government as a whole,” she said.
Among the children’s rights that the Minister mentioned are those centered on survival, protection, development, participation, and living in a safe and climate-resilient environment.
Likewise, Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim emphasized the ‘breaking of cycles to jeopardize the children’s future’ in the process of navigating through the transition and self-determination, further saying, “They represent not just the leaders of tomorrow but the very hope of our nation today.”
The RPAC’s launch—led by the MSSD as the Head of the RSCWC in partnership with the BARMM MOAs, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and other stakeholders—was held during the kickoff ceremony of Bangsamoro Children’s Month (BCM), in accordance with the nationwide observance of National Children’s Month, pursuant to Republic Act No. 10661 s.2015.
Under the same Act, the month of November of every year is declared as the National Children’s Month.
Also featured during Monday’s launch was the annual “Panatang Makabata,” where the attendees pledged their commitment to safeguarding children’s rights and welfare.
This year’s month-long commemoration carries the theme “Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Bangsamoro!”
Focusing on the self-sustaining and inclusive development of the Bangsamoro children and other vulnerable sectors falls under the 12th priority agenda of CM Ebrahim. (Johamin Inok/BIO)
