UNICEF beefs up assistance for Maguindanao children

COTABATO CITY – The United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) assured that they will continue extending assistance to children affected in armed conflict in Maguindanao province. This was announced by Vanessa Tobin, UNICEF Representative in the Philippines, during her visit here on August 19.

Tobin talked with the representatives of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), all of Maguindanao, and different non-government organizations (NGOs) operating in the province.

The DepEd-Maguindanao documented, in Datu Piang town alone, almost 3,000 school children who were affected in the recent sporadic clashes between government troops and elements of Moro Islamic Liberation front (MILF).

The PPDO also recorded 18,546 children-turned-Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in Maguindanao who were compelled to stop schooling due to continuous massive evacuation.
School children currently have classes under the trees, vacant buildings or houses and even in damaged classrooms. Most school buildings were devastated. Other schools have their tables, chairs and blackboards also damaged.

Further, Emma Ali of DSWD-Maguindanao laid out their plans of putting up Temporary Learning Centers (TLC) in evacuation centers for the children to resume schooling, “but the problem is we don’t have records on who are returning homes and who are staying.”

However, Ali noted that they have already identified two (2) resettlement areas in Datu Piang and Datu Saudi Ampatuan towns for families who could not able to go back anymore to their respective places of origin “because their houses were already burned.”

Community and Family Services International (CFSI), an NGO based here, also established Child Friendly Spaces in some areas in the province.

The DSWD has proposed 20 TLCs for Datu Piang alone – the most affected municipality in the province since war broke in July, last year.

In response, Tobin said that an interacted plan for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and primary education should be put in place. Also, the setting up of a structured cluster that would ensure child protection is immediate.

ECCD through Republic Act 8980 is a comprehensive policy and national system that seeks to provide the basic holistic needs of children in the country.

“As vanguard for children’s rights, we must guarantee support to children and refuge for children. Let us provide support for early learning. I will be here frequently to help you in this effort,” Tobin said.

Governor Datu Sajid Islam Uy Ampatuan thanked the UNICEF for the incessant support to Maguindanao particularly in the case of children affected in war while ensuring cooperation for a genuine implementation of its programs. (BPI-ARMM*)