Senate urged to pass no-spanking bill

MANILA, Philippines - International and local child welfare organizations called on Congress to pass the Positive Discipline Bill to institutionalize positive and nonviolent methods of disciplining children.

The groups Save the Children, Plan International Philippines and Child Rights Network said the enactment of the bill would greatly boost the effort to protect children from physical abuse and violence.

“We have to challenge the tradition that sees corporal punishment as an effective way of disciplining children. We need to embrace a rights-based approach to raising our children. Mainstreaming positive discipline all throughout Philippines may be a long way to go, but by working together, we get a step closer in ending violence against children and in creating a safer and nurturing environment for them,” said Eli Mechanic, Plan Philippines program support manager.

The groups, which also included the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development and Lihok Pilipinas Foundation, made the call for Congress to pass the proposal in a press briefing on Positive Discipline or the Collective Action to Promote Non-Violent & Protective Society for Children project held in Quezon City.

 “While there may be laws already protecting children from abuse and violence, they are not enough. In fact, these laws still allow use of corporal punishment so long that they are ‘just and reasonable’ and ‘moderate in degree.’ We must, however, understand that even light physical and emotional punishment have equally negative effect on children. It is then very important to enact a law that explicitly prohibits corporal punishment in all its forms,” said Ernesto Almocera Jr., CRN convenor.

The CRN is an alliance of 18 organizations advocating the enactment of policies to protect and fulfill the rights of Filipino children.

Plan International, PLCPD and Lihok Pilipinas Foundation are currently working on the Positive Discipline Project, with support from the European Union.

The project helps families, teachers and community officials end abusive child disciplining practices in six areas in the Philippines, including the provinces of Ifugao, Eastern Samar and Sarangani, as well Quezon City, Naga City and Cebu City.