I felt like a child again

One of the best things I did last year was to deliver an inspirational speech at the annual Ako Para sa Bata International Conference in Manila where I shared stories about my struggles while growing up and my long arduous journey towards becoming who I truly am in a society where people are expected to conform to the norms. The yearly gathering is not just a lot of talk but it also increases the public’s awareness in protecting the rights and welfare of children.

The Ako Para sa Bata (APSB) began in 2007 when the Philippines, through the Child Protection Network (CPN), hosted the Asian Regional Conference of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN).

This year, the sixth edition of the Manila conference will be held on Dec. 4 and 5 at the SMX Convention Center, Manila with the theme Child Without Borders: Cultural Beliefs and Practices Affecting Child Protection.

“The Child Protection Network is a non-stock, non-profit organization that focuses on establishing women and child protection units (WCPU) across the country. CPN works towards capacitating the frontline child protection workers such as doctors, social workers, police and even teachers to be extraordinarily sensitive and responsive to the needs of the child. Community involvement is crucial in protecting children from the many faces of abuse,” explains lawyer Amy Avellano, Resource Development director (CPN) and Ways and Means Committee chair (APSB International Conference in Manila 2014).

Avellano adds that the proceeds of the conference will be utilized in the realization of establishing at least one WCPU in each province. “The WCPUs provide not only holistic and victim-appropriate medical and psychosocial intervention to abused children and their families. In UP PGH-CPU alone, 16,281 children have been treated. Currently, there are 62 WCPUs throughout the Philippines. Eleven newly-trained teams of doctors, social workers and police will graduate at the conference, thus, increasing the number to 73 WCPUs before the end of the year.”

According to Dr. Bernadette Madrid, executive director of CPN and conference president of APSB International Conference in Manila 2014, “The theme of this year’s conference is a result of questions that always come up during the multi-disciplinary trainings that the CPN conducts across the country. What should be done when the law is so different from cultural norms? We are a culture that places a high value on forgiveness; shouldn’t we forgive perpetrators especially if they are the parents? Do definitions of child abuse change through time and culture? How can cultural norms be changed especially if they are harmful to children?”

The two-day conference will conduct various plenary sessions. The first day will cover religious ethnic beliefs and practices affecting child protection while the second day will feature trends affecting child protection. Plenary speakers include Steven Blight, UNICEF regional adviser on Child Protection of the East Asia and Pacific Regional Office; Prof. Michael Tan, anthropologist and chancellor of the University of the Philippines Diliman; Deborah Fry, lecturer in Child Protection at Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh; Dr. Mina Ramirez, president of the Asian Social Institute; Prof. Randy David, professor emeritus and past chairman of the Department of Sociology, University of the Philippines; Bayang Barrios, indigenous singer-songwriter; and Prof. Leonardo Estacio Jr., past chairman of the Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila.

“In our everyday encounter with patients at the different WCPUs or during the trainings being conducted by CPN, we frequently come across concerns and issues with regard to difference in existing laws and practices of the patients and their family. Examples of these are practice of early marriage in some communities, child protection issues of indigenous children and children affected by armed conflict, sexting and online relationships. Professionals working in child protection will become aware of beliefs and practices among racial, ethnic, religious and social groups affecting child protection and will be able to incorporate cultural knowledge, awareness and sensitivity into child protection practices and services,” says Dr. Sandra Hernandez, director for training of CPN and the Scientific Committee chair of APSB International Conference in Manila this year.

Lawyer Katrina Legarda invites everyone to attend this year’s event. She is the conference chair of Ako Para sa Bata International Conference in Manila 2014. Legarda is a staunch child advocate who takes passionate interest in protecting the welfare of children and helping raise awareness regarding the rights of young people. “The registration fee is P3,600 for two days which includes meals, kit, certificate and entrance to the fellowship night. The conference aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of dedicated professionals who work with children. We hope to reach as many as possible and let them see the value of protecting the Filipino child. We hope people will join us, either in sponsoring delegates or in participating in the conference itself. We call on everyone to join us in our nationwide pledge and say, ‘Ako para sa bata.’”

This year’s Ako Para Sa Bata International Conference in Manila organized by the CPN is also co-presented by Energen and UNICEF. For details, call 404-3954 or e-mail at [email protected] and [email protected]. The Child Protection Network Foundation is committed to ensuring that all children in the Philippines and throughout Asia are protected from the many faces of abuse.