The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) celebrates the Provincial Children’s Congress on Friday, November 25, 2022, at Bohol Cultural Center in Tagbilaran City.

In celebration of Children’s Month held every year in November, PGBh, through the Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development, held a culmination program attended by 452 Bol-anons composed of different Child Development Workers, Municipal social welfare and Development officers, daycare officers, parents, and daycare students ages 3-4.11. OPSWD head Carmelita Tecson shared a message on the importance of celebrating Children’s Month every November as it serves as a reminder to acknowledge the human rights of children and to treat them as proper members of our communities.

“And mga bata naa ni silay katawhang katungod. Naa ni silay survival rights o katungod nga mabuhi sila, development rights o ang katungod sa saktong pangutok, participation rights o ang katungod nga maka apil sa katalingban, ug ang protection rights o ang katungod nga ma protektahan ilang kinabuhi,” Tecson said.

PGBh’s Chief-of-Staff Internal Affairs Mariquit Opus gave an inspirational message to the attendees on behalf of Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado. Opus encouraged parents to take good care of their children and encourage them to support their dreams.

“It takes a village to raise a child, but ang problema nato karon kay ang village is not as good as before. This is a challenge for all of us to make sure our children grow on the right path and ensure them of their future,” Opus said.

The program also held a children’s contest in singing, dancing, and balak, with 144 children participating.

Every November, the Philippines celebrates Children’s Month as a commemoration of the Philippines’ signing of the international agreement of the Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989, in Geneva, Switzerland. Under the Republic Act No. 10661, the Government mandates DSWD, the National Youth Commission (NYC), and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) to facilitate and encourage the celebration of the NCM every November.