Child protection and the RCB

Egay Uy .

LAST Thursday, I was invited to speak on the experiences of the Regulatory and Complaint Board at the Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. during a seminar workshop and capacity building for multi-sectoral service providers in victims’ identification, reporting and responding to trafficking in persons and on-line sexual exploitation in children.  It was attended by representatives of various groups from within and outside Cagayan de Oro City. RCB board member and inspectorate team leader Ton Resma was with me to discuss actual experiences of the team during monitoring and inspection rounds.

According to Ms. Sabrina “Sabcee” G. Balais, area manager of BMFI, “It cannot be denied that human trafficking and violence against women and children have become prevalent worldwide, and should be given the appropriate attention and solution.”

BMFI has been working and servicing communities, peoples and tribes for several years now, under its major program, the community-based peace-building program in North Cotabato, Surigao del Sur and in Cagayan de Oro City. As some may already know, BMFI is a Mindanao-based and Mindanao-directed peace and development non-governmental organization which was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1996.

RCB’s initial discussion with Sabcee on a possible sustained collaboration was quite promising. The thrusts and advocacy of the RCB are closely aligned with the programs of the BMFI. Balay Mindanaw has been conducting capacity development for the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) and series of community-based and school-based information drive and advocacy campaign on child protection.

RCB, on the other hand, is implementing the provisions of the Cagayan de Oro City Comprehensive Children’s Welfare Code of 2018 which tasks the RCB to regulate businesses that could place children in situations where they will be at risk.  In doing so, the RCB is closely collaborating with the BCPC, Women and Children Protection Desk of the local police, and the CSWD.  In due time, the RCB will also be closely collaborating with barangay officials through the Liga ng mga Barangay, thanks to its President, Councilor Alam Lim.

During the open forum, the role of parents and their usual “excuse” that their wayward children no longer listen to them was passionately discussed.  My view is that while it is a long shot, efforts should also be focused on teaching parents how to rear their children properly.

This message to parents may work:

Protecting the welfare and future of children does not actually rest on the shoulders of government.  It is one of the primary responsibilities of parenthood.

The government merely provides the guidance and the structure so that children will grow in a society that is child-friendly so they become assets to society.

Needless to state, children are our future leaders. Hence, I challenge every parent to look forward to providing a better world for the next generation.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)