POE LEADS CHILDREN'S RIGHTS CELEBRATION, URGES PASSAGE OF SIMPLER CHILD ADOPTION BILL

Sen. Grace Poe will lead the Senate's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the National Children's Month from Nov. 25 to 28.

The week-long event will be highlighted by an exhibit and an art installation.

Poe will open the exhibit and deliver a short message. Sen. Risa Hontiveros is also expected to take part in the event.

Overall in-charge of the event is the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation, in partnership with Poe's office, Children's Rights Network, UNICEF and Save the Children.

"Natutuwa tayo na nagsasama-sama ang mga grupo para isulong ang kapakanan ng mga bata. Sabi nga, it takes a village to raise a child," Poe said.

Adopted in November 1989 by the UN General Assembly, the UNCRC seeks to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions or beliefs.

The Philippines is a signatory to the convention.

Poe said that the Senate has made headway in adhering to the spirit of the convention by passing laws that are pro-children.

"We have an obligation to see to it that every child's right is protected," Poe said.

Last year, Poe authored the National Feeding Program Law that mandates free meals to school children to combat malnutrition and hunger.

Stressing that one of the rights of a child under the convention is the right to identity, Poe also filed a bill seeking to eliminate court proceedings to make adoption a simpler and less expensive administrative process.

Senate Bill No. 1070 or the Domestic Administrative Adoption Act provides for administrative adoption under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Her bill, Poe said, will eliminate the judicial phase of adoption and expedite the process, minimize the cost, declog the courts, and encourage more people to adopt a child.

Poe earlier authored Republic Act 11222 or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act that allows the rectification of a simulated birth of a child. It also fixes the status of a child whose birth was simulated.

Simulation of birth records refers to the tampering of the civil registry to make it appear in the record of birth that a child was born to a person who is not his or her biological mother.

The law provides for simpler and less costly administrative adoption proceedings that will apply to children who have been living for at least three years with persons who simulated their birth record.