Children, hope of our nation

"Childrenm, hope of our nation"

"Ang kabataan ang pagasa ng bayan" or as this famous line by Dr.Jose Rizal states, "the youth is the hope of the people". With this statement from our national hero, for generations, the saying has been used to push or help inspire children, that they are the future, and as the foundation for a better tomorrow, we are strengthened and tested by the traditions passed down to one generation to another. With this, as we celebrate the 2024 National Children's Month Celebration with the theme:  “Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Philippines." We are going to be talking about the purpose of National Children's Month Celebration and why we as a society need to know about its importance. 

When was National Children's Month established? Well according to sources, the establishment of the celebration was to emphasize the importance of child welfare and to highlight the need for comprehensive programs and policies that support the well-being of Filipino children, which was in 1989 and was institutionalized in 2015. In addition, the month's celebration helps advocate and protect the rights of children, which are often over-looked by the so-called adults that care for them. This rights being: right to a safe environment, right to basic needs, right to education, right to protection from harm, right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly. The listed rights are the one's being advocated for the Celebration of National Children's Month. Which help shape the safety and protection of my fellow children.

As we practice and aim for a safer place for the youth, it is important to note that children only turn into people they were raised as. So as adults, discipline shouldn't be the only thing children are raised with. Most of the time, we forget that honesty, kindness, empathy, love, and care are the ones that become one of the main foundations in building our principles. 

In this day and age, domestic abuse is the most common harm to children. Often times, this abuse comes from the practice of pilipino's that whenever a child does wrong, they are given punishments in the ways of: beating, light spanks using hands and various different household materials, "kurot" or pinching, and assigning extreme labour are methods I grew up with. If this sound harsh, before the 2010's, kneeling on rice, salt, and mung beans(mungo) were also quite popular methods, even done in schools. With this it can be said that although, disciplinary methods have toned down, it is still quite prominent. Thus, are children really safe?

Times are changing and we need to adjust to the times. Let us stop hurting our children and let us embrace them fully. As a community we should protect the generation that will be our future. Abuse has been going on for too long. Children deserve the loving guidance of parents, and not the overwhelming abuse of failure

In conclusion, by establishing the National Children's Month, more and more children each year are given the chance to live out the right that they are entitled to when born. By advocating children's rights it is sure that all of the hopeful youth will strive and blossom for a future filled with unexpected things.

References:

Curtis, Ursula. “Graduation Songs.” Pinterest, 10 Nov. 2021, pin.it/6f18SpFyU. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

PhilBooking.com. “Nutrition Classes.” Pinterest, 5 Aug. 2015, pin.it/4RCaT6nzL. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

“Pinterest.” Pinterest, 2019, pin.it/2t2fxIMjd. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Vasantha sena Karumuri. “Scene – Pinoy Special.” Pinterest, 4 Jan. 2018, pin.it/4lDFVvIfu. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.