In womens month: Breast milk of a mother is a nurture like no other

In womens month: Breast milk  of a mother is a nurture like no other 

We celebrate women's month to commemorate the heroic act of women from the last century.

Today we once again celebrate this day through another heroic act, an act of giving. The greatest gift a mother can give to an infant is Human Breast Milk. The Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA), in partnership with the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and the Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (SAMAKANA), successfully held a milk letting activity attended by mothers with their infants and advocates of breastfeeding last March 29,2012.

Mothers demonstrate breastfeeding to advocate the importance, value and joy of giving your child what they deserve "BREAST MILK".

 Mother gave excess milk for infant patients of PGH who are in need of mother's breast milk

Doctors from PGH helped the mother donors in milk-letting
and assisted them by carrying the infants while the mothers go through the process of donating their excess milk

We from ARCSEA salute all the mothers, women and fellow advocates that support breast feeding!

JUSTICE FOR PADRE FAUSTO TENTORIO...!

FR. POPS: A SERVANT OF GOD and A FATHER to the MANOBO CHILDREN!

The cold blooded murder of Padre Fausto Tentorio, fondly called Fr. Pops, an Italian priest who is based in Arakan, North Cotabato, prompted different reactions from both Filipino people and Italian communities. We are all shocked and outraged.

Fr. Pops is a staunch advocate of Indigenous people’s rights, especially children’s rights. He lived more than 30 years of his life here in the Philippines, serving the poor and the oppressed Indigenous Peoples specifically the Manobos.

Fr. Pops is one of the founding members of our organization, Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA), advocating children’s rights. He is one of the persons responsible for countless project partnerships between us, our Italy based partners, ARCI Toscana and UNICOOP and the Manobo communities. Through him, we have helped in constructing schools for Manobos and potable water system to help them survive in their areas which are seldomly reached by the government’s social services.

Fr. Pops went to these communities and lived with the marginalized people. He loved the Manobos as his own people. He dared to go to far flung places where the government would not go. He shared his life, more than spending it, with the Indigenous Peoples. He would best be remembered as the Italian priest who is more than a Filipino in his ideologies and actions.

He is also an anti-mining advocate. He knew that mining would do no good to our Indigenous brothers and sisters and would lead to massive killings and displacement from their ancestral lands. Mining would leave no good future for the Manobos and other children of Indigenous peoples.

To these advocacies came his life’s brutal end. He was killed by people who hated his guts and bravery, his leadership and big heart for the Filipinos. He is a martyr indeed.

For ARCSEA and other child rights advocates, we strongly condemn the killing of Fr. Pops! This is another case of extra judicial killing, among the many which should be investigated and the perpetrators should be incarcerated.

We will miss Fr. Pops but we will never stop. His memory and his life will give us courage and strength to fight for every children’s rights, not just of the Indigenous children but children all over the world.

We urge the Aquino government to investigate these killings and put an end to the impunity to human rights violations!###

JUSTICE FOR FR. POPS! JAIL THE PERPETRATORS!

Madella T. Santiago, RSW

Executive Director

Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA)

Contact Number: (+632)4349353, 09324434752

Petition on the human rights violations in Blaan Communities

Dear friends and fellow child rights advocates,

Greetings of Peace and Solidarity!

The Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) is a regional non-government organization (NGO) working to promote and advocate the rights of children. We are implementing projects for survival, development, protection and most especially participation.

We are informing you about the current situation in one of our project areas and encourage you to likewise disseminate these human rights violations.

We are currently working towards building a multi-purpose center and a potable water system in Sitio Dlumay, Baranggay Upper Suyan, Malapatan, Sarangani province. This project is funded by ARCI Comitato Regionale Toscana and UNICOOP Firenze. This area is inhabited by B’laans, an ethnic minority settled in the remote areas of Mindanao.

Our partner, Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services (CLANS), a non-government organization (NGO) providing services for B’laans, narrated to us various incidence of harassments and intimidations perpetrated by elements of the 73rd Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and members of the Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

These atrocities wreak terror and trauma not just to B’laan children but to the whole B’laan community.

Temporarily, the school, B’laan Literacy School and Learning Center (BLSLC) eventually stopped its operations for the time being but are firmly resolved to continue with the graduation of students as soon as it is possible.

Furthermore, we likewise are sending a letter to the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines and other responsible offices/ agencies to inform them about these human rights violations for their immediate action.

We strongly condemn these acts and demand for the immediate pull out of the AFP in the said areas where similar incidences occur.

Moreover, we are also calling for an immediate investigation and corresponding punishment for the perpetrators.

In this connection, we are asking for your solidarity action by signing in the attached Petition Letter and whatever possible help that you can extend for CLANS and the B’laan communities.

Currently, CLANS is planning for an immediate provision of relief goods and a fact finding mission in the future. Should there be a need to evacuate the B’laans, CLANS would welcome any support.

We are hoping that you closely join hands with us in this endeavor.

In the service of the Filipino children,

(sgd)

Madella T. Santiago, RSW

Executive Director

Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA)

"We believe children are inherent resource of society... even while they are still children." -- ARCSEA (www.childrightssea.org)

Petition on the human rights violations in Blaan Communities

His Excellency Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III

President

Republic of the Philippines

CC:

Hon. Paquito Ochoa Jr.

Executive Secretary

Hon. Voltaire Gazmin

Secretary

Department of National Defense

Hon. Corazon Soliman

Secretary

Department of Social Welfare and Development

Lt. Gen.  Eduardo SL Oban Jr.

 Chief of Staff

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Hon. Loretta Ann Rosales

Chairperson

Commission on Human Rights

Dear Pres. Aquino,

Greetings of Peace!

Sitio Dlumay is a peaceful community of B’laans in Saranggani Province, Mindanao. The B’laans, though living in scarcity and dire poverty, exerted every effort to develop their community, their identity and their strength as people through education, socio-cultural and economic activities. They organized themselves into KASBAKAS.

The Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services, Inc. (CLANS), a non-government organization (NGO), facilitated these activities through organizing the people and taught them about their basic human rights such as decent life, education, health services, clean and potable water and ancestral domain.

The B’laan children started learning the basics of early education. They were taught to love their community and their rich culture and traditions as Indigenous Peoples.

Through our organization and the generous collaboration with ARCI Comitato Regionale Toscana, an organization of more than 1 million members in Italy, and UNICOOP Firenze, the community was able to build a classroom for the children and adults for their literacy and numeracy classes. The construction of an additional classroom and a water system is under way.

On the main, it was smoothly operating. The teachers come from the community. They were trained on how to handle children in inclusion and recognition of their rights and roles, not just as children but more so as Indigenous Peoples.

Sad to say, the peaceful and struggling life of the community was threatened by the wanton abuses of the military elements in their community.

The harassments and violations of human rights have started in the last quarter of 2010, particularly in the adjacent B’laan areas. While in Sitio Dlumay, the atrocities started just last March of this year.

Children, as young as 7-13 years old were harassed by the military while they were on their way to plant trees. Their teacher was forcibly interrogated. Organizers and community teachers of CLANS were likewise accused as being members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Because of such false accusations and continued harassments, the community teachers of Blaan Literacy School and Learning Center (BLSLC) inevitably decided to temporarily stop the operations.

In another incident, a 10 year old boy was forced to wear a fatigue uniform. He was given an M-16 rifle and was photographed by the military to show that he is a child soldier.

These cases are just bits of events to disregard and disrespect human rights instigated by the elements of the 73rd Infantry Battalion spearheaded by Sergeants Jake Geron and Angelo Gerrbolingo, and a certain Cabawbaw (a.k.a. Art Juanes), Sam Molna, John Sanchez, Jake Meya and B’laan CAFGUs named Mando, Joseph and  Yig Mante.

The military presence in the community is hindering the developmental rights of B’laan children. Moreover, the terror and intimidations hurled by men in uniform clearly violates the right to protection that every child should have.

Undoubtedly, living in fear and anxiety would taunt the growth and development of these children. They cannot live peacefully in their own community.

Moreover, these terrors surely affect their focus on their lessons and school activities, knowing that every day might be a day of harassment and questioning by the military.

Ironically, in 1990 the Philippine government signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) and passed a law betterly known as Republic Act 7610 or Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination. Under this law the state recognizes and guarantees the fulfillment of the rights of every child and in consideration of their best interests in every way possible. But in reality, this seems far from giving the B’laan children their right to survival, development, protection and participation.

We are very much alarmed and concerned for these human rights violations and in particular the violations of children’s rights that is not exclusively happening in Sitio Dlumay and B’laan communities  in Sarangani Province but also in other areas in Mindanao.

As child rights advocates, we condemn these acts.

We are asking your Excellency to please immediately act on this situation, in the primacy of human rights. We are asking you to put a stop to such abuses perpetrated by the elements of 73rd IB and members of the CAFGU in the community and  by immediately pulling out your troops in Sitio Dlumay and all the adjacent sitios within the said cluster.

As this is happening elsewhere, we are asking you to please conduct an investigation through your appropriate agencies. We also demand that the violators be put in jail and be punished for these crimes against children and humanity.

We are hoping that children would not live in terror and anxiety anymore, especially in rural poor areas. We hope that the impunity to human rights violations would finally meet its end.

In the service of the Filipino children,

(sgd)

Madella T. Santiago, RSW

Executive Director

Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA)

PROJECT UPDATE

 

Association for the Rights of children in South East Asia

ARCSEA is an association of child rights advocates, working to promote children’s rights and increased children’s participation in social transformation in Southeast Asia.

Projects Update

June 2010-February 2011

 

Busilak

Learning Center-Talanay

 Taniman, Area B, Sitio Talanay, Brgy Batasan  Hills, Quezon City

 Due to the experience with the storm Ondoy in 2009 that sunk the BLC (Busilak Learning Center)-Talanay in flood and because of the location of the school, wherein children need to cross a creek before reaching the school, SAMAKANAdecided that the location of the school must be transferred to an accessible and safer location.  With the help of Task Force-Children of the Storm thru  Parents Alternative on Early Childhood Care and Development (PAECCD), Association for the Rights of Children in South East Asia (ARCSEA), SALINLAHI Alliance for Children's Concerns and other donor organizations. BLC was moved to a safer location.

In the new site, school was targeted to resume as early as possible. 

Repair of the old structure was immediately done. But in the process, it turned out that the old structure was too deteriorated. So the original structure was demolished and SAMAKANA built a relatively much safer structure for the students and teachers. Most of the materials for the construction like wood and roof were donated by DLSU-COSCA thru the De La Salle University (DLSU) Student Council.

Opening of classes

Opening of classes was re-scheduled numerous times due to the difficulty in scouting for a new location of the school. Among the locations that were scouted, Sitio Talanay is the most promising because of the newly paved road and there is a relatively high concentration of people. Also because the structure will be built from scratch rather than renovating the original structure that was already present at the lot, this posted another hindrance because of financial limitations. Thus the school that was supposed to open in June opened in the 19th of July 2010.

Nevertheless the number of students significantly grew. There are two classes:  preschool 1 that has 36 students and preschool 2 that has 35 students enrolled, respectively.

Appointing a New Teacher, Training and Establishing the Management Committee 

One new teacher was nominated and recruited, teacher Daisy Dolorino who also resides in the community.. The two (2) BLC teachers underwent training facilitated by   PAECCD (Parents Alternative Early Childhood Care and Development) according to a nationalist mass oriented and scientific education orientation. They were trained basic orientation on early childhood education, construction and development of the curriculum, actual observation with partner daycare center like Batibot Learning Center and on the Job Training.

Feeding/ Medical Help

With the help of some organizations and individuals, the school was able to provide some but limited feeding sessions. The children were also given vitamins for almost a month.

Establishing the PTA and education of the parents

Home center agreement was formed. The parents were able to elect PTA officials, and because of the interest of the parents they became part of the management committee of BLC.

Education of the parents became regular such as the following schedules:

• July: BLC orientation, Nationalist, Mass oriented and Scientific Education.
•  August: Progressive Parenting focusing on child discipline
•  October: Filipino Children’s Situationer and Children’s Rights which was given by ARCSEA.
•  November: Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), Human Rights Orientation and Voter’s Education (due to the Barangay local elections)

Curriculum

  With the guidance of PAECCD (Parents Alternative on Early Childhood Care and Development) all efforts were done to practice nationalist, mass oriented and scientific education. Participation of the parents/family of the children is primarily recognized along with the evaluation of the children with their capabilities and level of progress.

Discussions about families and the community were also included in the curriculum for November, 2010.

The school also launched activities such as “Language Week” to recognize the value of loving one’s native tongue and the Parade for Children’s Rights which was held in October 24 for the Children’s Month Celebration.

Busilak

Learning Center-Veterans

Area II Eagle Street, Sitio Veterans Brgy. Bagong Silangan Quezon City

Telephone no. (02) 4816731

Email Address: samakanablc@gmail.com

 May to June 10

 Busilak Learning Center (BLC) have 37 students

enrolled

Prep I = 22 (6 girls and 16 boys)

Prep II = 15 (5 girls and 10 boys)

Total: 37

June 7

              BLC Staff Meeting

June 8 – 13

              BLC teachers training by PAECCD

June 15

              BLC conducted the Parent's Orientation and attended by 36 Parents and 4 Teachers, Ms Liza of SAMAKANA-Gabriela and Ms. Jenny, the SAMAKANA President.

June 16

              BLC students screening

 July 5

              BLC Staff meeting

July 9

              Parent's Teacher's Association (PTA) Meeting facilitated by Ms. Analiza Ilag-ilag (Prep 1 teacher) and Election of  PTA Officers

July 30

              Environment Activities were  one to raise awareness of BLC students on how important the plants and trees in our lives are. They  were asked  to bring soil and seed, for them to experience planting in basins and pails because there are no  vacant lots.

 August 13

              Parent's Teachers Meeting

August 16

              DSWD-NCR coordinator visited the BLC students for feeding support

August 27

              Linggo ng Wika (Language Week) Celebration with students. Parents, teachers and the SAMAKANA organizers.

September 13

              DSWD Parents Orientation for Supplemental Feeding Nutrition

 September 27

              Nutrition Month Celebration attended by students, parents, Rep. Luz Ilagan of Gabriela

Women's Party and the Local Government Unit (LGU) with the participation of the religious group, Sagrada Pamilya Area II officers.

 September 29

                  Supplemental Feeding Launching. A project funded by DSWD and Kabisig ng Kalahi  project funded by UNILEVER and MEAD JOHNSON with our local government unit and visitors , Nuns and lay from St. Benedict.

November 22 – 26

                  BLC Mid– School Year Assesment of Students

December 16

              BLC Christmas Party

January 07

              Parents- Teachers Meeting for Supplemental Feeding

January 14

              Teacher and Supplemental Feeding officers meeting

January 17

              Start of Supplemental Feeding (156 days of feeding)

  The Human Milk Bank Project

Lactation Unit, New Born Medicine Section,

Department of Pediatrics

University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hosiptal

Taft Avenue, Manila City

The Milkbank Project continuation started last quarter of 2010. ARCSEA together with the PGH Neo Natologists and Lactation Counselors held a meeting last January 9^th of this year to discuss additional medical equipments and supplies that needs to be purchased for the further development and greater effectivity of the Human Milkbank.

Moreover, in support for the Milkbank activities, the creation of a database has also been discussed in order to manage and generate the flow of data which will be of great help to the doctors and Milkbank staff.

Last January 18^th, ARCSEA arranged a meeting with the Computer Professionals' Union (CPU), a group of information communications technology (ICT) practitioners who will be helping in the creation of the Milkbank database.

This February 7^th, ARCSEA together with the PGH doctors and CPU discussed and finalized the concept of the database which will be used. Meanwhile, by the end of March of this year, it has been proposed as the time frame to purchase the additional necessary equipments for the Milkbank. In the 2^nd quarter the trainings at Tondo, Manila City and private companies will be implemented. In this lieu, ARCSEA also started to look for private companies for collaboration. This will help increase the impact of promotion and awareness on breastfeeding and donations to the Milkbank for the benefit of the newborns in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

Construction of the Blaan

Literacy School and Learning Center (BLSLC) and teacher trainings

Sitio Dlumay, Baranggay Upper Suyan, Malapatan,

Saranggani Province, Mindanao

Last April 27, 2010, the closing ceremony of the Literacy-Numeracy and Pre-school classes of the B’laan Literacy School and Learning Center (BLSLC) for the 2009-2010 School Yearwas held.  Ninety-three (93) happy and proud students (5 to 22 years of age) with their pleased parents took part in the special occasion.  Individual and group presentations the likes of sabayang-bigkas, poetry renditions and group singing (with themes of ancestral lands and indigenous people’s rights) were part of the program.  Even community members participated through a demonstration of the traditional Tudak (an indigenous planting method in the uplands). 

Over-all, this commencement exercise was a culmination of all the hard-work, sacrifices and organized efforts by the stakeholders of this community-based program who are the community teachers and staff of CLANS, the Parent-Teachers-Community-Association (PTCA),

KASBAKAS (People’s Organization) and other networks.

The inauguration of a newly built schoolroom was also celebrated that same day. A Thanksgiving Mass was held with the Sabak (a B’laan ritual to drive away devil spirits).  The whole community was very proud.  For years they have dreamt of a school for their children where they can be taught the basics of reading, writing and counting.  

The Blessing of a newly built schoolroom was also celebrated that same day. AThanksgiving Mass was held with the Sabak (a B’laan ritual to drive away devil spirits).  The whole community was very proud.  For years they have dreamt of a school for their children where they can be taught the basics of reading, writing and counting.   When KASBAKAS was informed late last year that a funding for a school building was granted for the project, they did not hesitate to donate a 2-hectare school site within the community. Immediately the construction pushed through.    

Weeks after the graduation, young B’laans who have already learned literacy-numeracy skills were invited for a five (5)-day community teachers basic skills training.  The aim of the training is to develop more “mobile” and local para-teachers for the Dlumay Cluster (a cluster of communities where Blaans’ live.  The BLSLC have yet to reach 4 more adjacent sitios wherein children of pre-school age are hesitant to attend school because of the 30-minute back and forth walk.  Thirteen (13) community teachers responded and graduated from the said training.

The BLSLC is just on its second year of operation and significant impacts are already seen and felt by the B’laan community of six adjacent sitios in Brgy. Upper Suyan, Malapatan, Sarangani.  Almost all of the students are already conscious of their hygiene.  Ninety-nine (99%)percent are already wearing slippers. In Sitio Dlumay (the center of the cluster), almost every house has a backyard vegetable garden.  These are improvements compared to the depressing condition CLANS have seen when the literacy-numeracy program has not started yet.

 For the School Year 2010-2011, the enrollment is 198 students.  This is more than double of the number of graduates in April 27, 2010. Classes have also doubled. Currently, there are non-formal first-graders and the youth who graduated from the literacy-numeracy modules are now considered as non-formal third-graders.  The thirteen (13) young B’laans who took up the basic skills training are now are now volunteer teachers for the pre-schoolers.  During the recently held PTCA meetings in July of 2010, the parents were very much willing to construct simply structured schoolroom per sitio that will accommodate the weekend class of the pre-schoolers.

  

ARCSEA, our partners, volunteers and especially the children beneficiaries would like to thank the generous hearts of those people who have helped us implement these projects for the advancement of the rights of children; ARCI Toscana, UNICOOP, Regione Toscana, Confederation of Filipino Communities, the Honorary Consulate of Filipinos in Florence and other individuals.

We would be very happy to continue our collaboration towards our advocacy to create a society which is just and humane for the future generation.

HELP CHILDREN CLAIM THEIR RIGHTS! DONATE NOW…

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company

SWIFT CODE: MBTCPHMM

Account No.: 320-2-32000525-0

 

ARCSEA Staff

Madella T. Santiago

Executive Director

Angelo Raphael P. Alonzo

Jomini M. Calantoc

Project Officers

Leilani Magluyan-Calvo

Finance Associate

Rodel R. Olvido

Administrative Staff

17 Batino St., Alley 1, Bgy. Amihan,

Project 3, Quezon City, Philippines

P.O. Box No. 722 Araneta center, Cubao, Quezon City

Telephone No.: (+632)4365059

arcsea_childrightssea@yahoo.com.ph

www.childrightssea.org