Akap Bata to Noy: What's your policy on children's welfare?

MANILA, Philippines - A child welfare group on Friday called on the Aquino administration to bare its programs for the children's welfare.

The Akap Bata partylist made the appeal after the recent National Girl Child Day celebration.

"We dare the present administration to make clear [its] policies and programs that will truly ensure the wellness and future of girls and children in general," Akap Bata partylist national spokesperson Lean Flores said.

Flores cited figures that show there are 12.4 million starving children, five million child laborers and two million street children in the country.

"We installed a life size paper doll chain to symbolize our unity to end poverty as the worst form of violence against girl children today. Proclamation No. 759 declares the Month of March as the month of girl children," Flores added.

The group  also cited the following study of United Nations of the situation of girl children in the Philippines:

•  more girl-children are being hired as domestic helpers, thus living away from home
•  girl-children living away from home are highly vulnerable to physical/ psychological abuse/interrupted schooling
•  girl-children from rural areas are victims of illegal recruitment
•  working girl-children do not have access to adequate leisure/ rest

"This study clearly shows that this social context is not the kind of society that will protect our children," Flores said.