By Bernard Ver
Contributor
LAOAG CITY—The Child Rights Network (CRN) held a policy caravan on child protection
issues at the Northwestern University in this city on February 13, 2019.
The caravan engaged universities around the country to raise awareness on child
abuse, especially child rape with the help of the Philippine Legislators’
Committee on Population and Development.
In lieu of Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa
“Imee” R. Marcos, Atty. Saul Lazo, in her speech, said that "The
provincial government of Ilocos Norte is continuously supporting the advocacies
of the national government’s child protection program."
According to data from the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
there are at least one in five children suffering traumatic experience during
their childhood.
Meanwhile, businessman and child rights advocate Reynaldo “Ryan” R. Remigio
shared his thoughts on the impact caused of child abuse, especially rape cases,
that is rampantly growing in the country.
According to Mr. Remigio, the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office 2018 data
shows that there are 47 rape victims, 7 incest rape victims, one attempted rape
victim, seven acts of lasciviousness victims, one anti-voyeurism victim, one child
trafficking victim, and three alleged violators of the Child Abuse Act.
He added that, “Our children have become more vulnerable because we as a
society have undermined the importance of proper guidance and forging close
relationships with the young.”
CRN’s mission is to engage legislators, civil society groups, children, and
other stakeholders in the development and enactment of child-responsive laws
and policies nationwide.
This year, the group is fighting the proposal in the House of
Representatives to increase the age to determine statutory rape in the
Philippines to balance the lowering of criminal responsibility from age 18 to
12.
Also present in the forum were different stakeholders in Ilocos Norte, and students
of Mariano Marcos State University and Divine Word College of Laoag.
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