The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) batted for the swift passage of House Bill No. 10159, the proposed Magna Carta of Children bill, as it pointed out that strengthening the monitoring mechanisms for the protection of children will translate to the effective enforcement of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the country.
CHR Focal Commissioner for Child Rights Beda A. Epres took part in the discussions during the first House committee hearing headed by Rep. Angelica Natasha Co of the Committee on the Welfare of Children.
The CHR, through its Child Rights Center, is a member of the Core Group of the Magna Carta of Children bill and is also involved in the advocacy and lobbying work for the passage of HB 10159. Once HB 10159 is passed into law, the CHR will be designated as the country’s Ombud for Children.
In a statement, the CHR said the proposed Magna Carta will incorporate the four basic principles of the UNCRC into the Philippine landscape, namely: non-discrimination, to regard the best interests of the child as a primary consideration of the State, right to survival and development, and respecting the views of the child.
It said it is looking forward to the full support of Congress in the passage of the bill, as it will demonstrate their commitment to recognizing the vital role of children in nation-building through effective delivery of services.
The bill will likewise mobilize a whole-of-society approach in protecting and fulfilling the rights of every Filipino child, it also said.
"Once the bill is passed, the Commission’s efforts towards guaranteeing the children’s right to a safe and empowering environment will continue, and we hope that this will translate to additional financial and human resources to effectively carry out our role as the Ombud for Children," Commissioner Epres said.