Katrina para sa bata

Years ago, lawyer Katrina Legarda became involved with a high-profile case involving a politician and a child-victim. The case, which was widely documented in the media, turned Katrina into a celebrity — but beyond that, it made a deep impression on her.

It made her a child advocate, a person who takes a passionate interest in protecting the welfare of children and helping raise awareness regarding the rights of young people. “That case made me truly aware that the rights of children are not really recognized unless the children are assisted by counsel, doctors or social workers. Since that case, whenever I handle family cases, I ensure that the children who are in the middle of conflict understand that I will try to protect them by giving to them what is due vis-a-vis education and support,” says Atty. Kat, who herself is a mother and grandmother.

One of the avenues through which she articulates her advocacy is the Child Protection Network (CPN). The CPN is an organizati on that envisions that all children in the Philippines and throughout Asia are protected from abuse and neglect. The group’s goal is to train as many people to be extraordinarily sensitive to the needs of the child. In 2007, the Philippines, through the Child Protection Network, hosted the Asian Regional Conference of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN).

They are also behind the annual Ako Para sa Bata conferences that serve to strengthen networking and advocacy, serve as a form of continuing education for professionals from various sectors and increase awareness of the general public. Every year, at least 650 delegates take part in the conference. Delegates are parents, school administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, pediatricians, developmental pediatricians, school physicians, family physicians, adolescent medicine, child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, family court and single-sala court judges and personnel, lawyers, police and other individuals working with children.

Explains Atty. Kat: “We want to ensure that every abused child is served with compassion and competence. This is the reason behind the multi-disciplinary training that we organize. We started formalizing education programs for training professionals in child abuse diagnosis, treatment and prosecution in 2002. Through proper support, training and resources, we aim to ensure that every child gets the bright, safe and healthy future he/she deserves.”

This year, the conference will be held on Dec. 2 and 3 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Its theme is All R.I.S.E.: Responding to Interpersonal Violence, Sexual Assault and Exploitation.

The annual gathering is not just a lot of talk. There have been concrete gains achieved as well.

The proceeds of the past conferences helped support the establishment of Women and Child Protection Units (WCPUs) throughout the Philippines. The goal is to have at least one WCPU in each province.

There are currently 56 WCPUs in 35 cities and provinces in the country.

It is important to protect the rights of children, especially in the Philippines where there are ever-present threats to their welfare that include child pornography, prostitution and labor; poor parenting practices; inadequate monitoring, supervision and involvement of parents in their children’s activities; cultural traditions and norms that support violence and abuse of women and children; and prevalence of child maltreatment. But the problems are not isolated — for instance, domestic violence and child maltreatment often occur together. “We have services for battered women and their children and for abused children and their families that may help break the cycle of violence,” says Atty. Kat.

The government, she adds, is doing its share by undertaking legislative and administrative measures to prevent violence against children through the passage of laws and policies that protect women and children from abuse and neglect, violence and exploitation. Various government and non-government organizations are involved in a network that cuts across all sectors working to respond to protect the Filipino child. Further efforts could focus on primary prevention programs that would also involve various sectors.

But this is just the beginning. To end, she says: “I feel that hard as we try, we still see children being treated like chattel. Fortunately, many of the judges we have trained have become extraordinarily sensitive to the needs of a child. It is time for parents to understand that their children have certain rights and that these rights should be recognized.”