Philippines
National
Group raises concern on children's welfare, education after Jolo bombings
Group raises concern on children's welfare, education after Jolo bombings
A child rights group strongly denounced the twin bombings in Jolo, Sulu that injured several children.
Save the Children Philippines (SCP) Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alberto Muyot said “it is unfortunate that at the time when the country and the world are battling against the COVID-19 pandemic, children still experience armed violence and continue to face its devastating and life-long impacts.”
Muyot, who is also a former Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary, said the bombings which occurred in heavily populated areas “could disrupt the essential services including healthcare, water and sanitation, as well as peace and security in the province.”
The SCP, through its offices in the cities of Iligan and Cotabato, works in partnership with the government and ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in promoting sustainable peace through education, livelihood, and health support to deprived and marginalized children and their families.
The child rights organization, in its global campaign Stop the War on Children, also emphasized that children in conflict suffer with lasting implications than adults. This includes the indirect consequences of conflict such as displacement, breakdown of health services, water and sanitation, and school closures.
SCP BARMM Team Leader Edwin Horca said the group is “deeply saddened” upon hearing about the recent bombing incidents in Sulu where victims included innocent Bangsamoro children.
“Children in Mindanao have been subjected to immense suffering due to these ongoing armed conflicts,” Horca said. “These events prompt us to be more rigorous in upholding our mission in protecting the children, making sure that violence against them is no longer tolerated.”
The SCP, with support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), is implementing the ReACh 2 TEACH project in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, including Sulu, to ensure that children will continue to have access to education through the provision of temporary learning spaces (TLS) and learning materials, and at the same time, capacitate teachers to handle psychosocial first aid and psychosocial support, and equip them with adequate teaching kits.
The group also advocates for peace education, resiliency, and protection of children’s rights among the men, women, and youth of Marawi City.
In partnership with the government of Japan, through the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the child rights organization implements the Restoring Learning and Livelihoods project for short-term emergency employment and longer-term livelihood development of adults, as well as the provision of culturally, age-appropriate, gender and conflict-sensitive learning opportunities for children.